


A Hospital Stay

by Sleep_Deprived_Ravenclaw



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, Auror Harry Potter, Chocolate, Crushes, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Hate Sex, Healer Draco Malfoy, Hurt/Comfort, Love/Hate, M/M, Poetry, Redemption, Scents & Smells, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Smitten Harry, Vulnerability
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:22:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 23,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23636017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sleep_Deprived_Ravenclaw/pseuds/Sleep_Deprived_Ravenclaw
Summary: An accident on the job causes Auror Harry to be admitted for a short stay at St. Mungos, with Draco Malfoy as his Healer.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley/Blaise Zabini, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 106
Kudos: 283





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! This is my first time writing a fic so please tell me your thoughts and feelings about this!
> 
> Thank you to my beta reader @Cutie1365 you're amazing! 
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Anything mentioned in the Harry Potter Series/ Universe is not owned by me, all rights go to J.K Rowling. The characters, unless original, such as Eliza, are not mine, but owned by J.K Rowling.

Harry had always had a talent of getting himself into trouble. Ever since the end of his battle against Voldemort, the trouble seemed to have inverted itself; causing Harry to be a lot more accident-prone than he used to be. It’s as if his body is saying ‘ _since there’s no one left to fight, you have to fight yourself’._ Because of this, Harry was sitting on the edge of a hospital bed on the 4th floor of St Mungos. He could hear the clock ticking dully against the white-washed wall which was drowned out every couple of seconds by the sound of rusting sheets and a following groan from other patients in the room. Most of whom seemed to be sleeping. Verdant plants, charmed evergreen by a stasis spell, were pumping out a sweet faint lavender scent as a consequence of their relaxation properties. He winced slightly, clutching his ribs instinctively.

_Fuck this hurts_.

After the war the Ministry allocated more funding to the wizarding hospital – originally to keep up with treating injured victims of war, but continued almost as reparations for the lives that were needlessly lost due to the corruption and ignorance of the, now late, ex-Minister of Magic: Cornelius Fudge. Harry’s mind wandered back to his fourth year at Hogwarts, and the way the ex-ministers’ face contorted with rage in response to the news of Voldemort’s return. Harry bit his tongue and mentally strained to keep his mind from wandering far; he did not wish to think ill of the dead. Harry did not have to keep his thoughts on a mental leash for long, as a young blonde-haired medi-nurse softly called his name as she opened the door to the room.

“The Healer is ready and on his way to you now Mr Potter, thank you for your patience. Are you comfortable by the way? Do you need a glass of water?”

Harry smiled sincerely at her in response, still clutching at his sides, which were sharply throbbing in rebellion against every breath. He politely shook his head as she came towards his bed and began fussing with his pillow, fluffing it. “Everything is great, honestly there’s no need to fuss.”

“Eliza if you keep fluffing that pillow, I’ll need to treat Potter for an enlarged ego as well, which is already at an obnoxious size. I don’t have all day.” Drawled a posh, sharp tone from the doorway of the room, commanding its attention. Harry’s eyes immediately snapped away from the medi-nurse, who was rolling her eyes playfully as he felt a heat prickle across the tips of his ears.

Harry knew that voice. _No, it can’t be._

“Let me do my job and I’ll let you do yours _, Bad Faith_.” She smirked playfully at Malfoy as she let the pillow drop to the bed with more force than strictly necessary before making her way towards the exit. She stopped short in front of Malfoy, who wore a faint scowl on his face. His eyebrow lifted slightly as he returned her eye contact, staring down at her. Harry watched the back of her head, refusing to look at Malfoy. Harry could tell she whispered something he couldn’t make out to Malfoy, with her mouth next to his ear. He watched Malfoy’s mouth tighten in response, his jaw setting hard before making his way over to Harry in a long, slow stride. The blonde witch disappeared as Malfoy picked up the clipboard that was attached to the end of Harry’s bed. Harry stared at Malfoy, clutching the white sheets on either side of his legs _._

 _Why did he feel nervous to be left alone in a room with Malfoy?_ This was the first time Harry had seen Malfoy since he testified at his trial following the war. He remembered his sigh of relief as Draco was acquitted of all charges, and the clench of his stomach when Lucius Malfoy had not been so lucky.

“Missing ribs huh, Potter? Where did they go?”

Harry shook his head, his mind coming back to the room. He swallowed the lump in his throat, letting out an awkward laugh. “I was under the impression they were broken, not missing… No wonder breathing is a little tricky aye?” Harry’s awkward laugh turned into a shallow raspy cough, that brought Harry to clutch his sides, hugging his sides together as if to keep his organs in.

Malfoy did not react to Harry’s attempt at humour, or embarrassing cough, which made the heat grow hotter on the tips of Harry’s ears. Malfoy’s steel eyes did not leave the chart. “I need to give you a quick examination Potter, to check the extent of damage. Are you wearing clothes beneath your Auror robes?”

Harry’s eyes immediately widened, the back of his neck burning from a sudden embarrassing heat. _Shit, was he wearing a shirt?_ He couldn’t remember getting ready for work this morning before his mission that resulted in Harry’s arrival at St. Mungo’s in the first place. “I-I remember putting on underwear but-”

“Good enough.” Malfoy had produced his wand out of the inside pocket of his green robes. _The Hawthorne wand._ Malfoy nonchalantly flicked his wand, resulting in Harry’s black robe vanishing from his body, and reappearing folded at the end of the bed.

Harry looked instinctively down at himself. _Fuck. No shirt._

Harry felt his face burn as Malfoy’s gaze travelled across Harry’s torso, a light smile on the corner of his aristocratic mouth. Malfoy held his hand out sideways, his eyes not leaving Harry’s frame. “Accio stethoscope.”

Harry closed his eyes as he felt cold metal touch the skin where his heart lay underneath. He felt his heart pound against the metal as a heat spread across the back of his neck. Harry wrapped his arms around himself tighter, a feeling of vulnerability sitting in his stomach.

“Heart rate slightly erratic. Your body is most likely in shock from pain. This is expected.” Malfoy almost murmured. “Yes. Expected, but still intriguing…” After what felt like a lifetime, the metal circle was lifted from Harry’s chest. Refusing to open his eyes, Harry felt a cold sensation trick through his body, like cold water going over a ledge. “I’m just running a few diagnostic charms. Is this okay, Potter?”

Harry swallowed and nodded, unwrapped his arms from around himself, and knitted his fingers into the bed sheets on either side of him. Immediate regret followed this decision, as Harry opened his eyes in wide alarm at the sensation of heat pressing against his ribcage. Looking down at his body, he saw pale, elegant hands pressed against both sides of his ribcage. The palms were glowing red against his tanned skin. Malfoy was muttering an incantation quietly to himself in a deep, clear tone. Harry’s eyes studied the hands, taking in deep, shaky, gulps of air as a fire spread across his body, threatening to burn him alive. An unfocused gaze travelled up the pale healer’s hands, up his arms, to the graceful set of his shoulders. Like a flower going into bloom, Harry’s eyes met Malfoy’s, and his world came into sudden, sharp focus. With his internal blaze still roaring, Harry felt his lower back begin to dampen. His internal monologue only consisted of the sound a kettle makes when it has come to a boil on the stove, screaming a high-pitched noise. Eyes sculpted from ice stared into his own with such intensity, Harry almost whimpered.

The hands slowly trailed down the ribcage, Malfoy still chanting the incantation, coming to rest on Harry’s waist. Harry wetted his lips, unable to regulate his shaky breathing. All too soon, the enchanting stopped, and Malfoy took a step back and Harry immediately noticed the absence of his touch.

“I’ve performed a complete internal diagnostic of your condition Potter. It’s not good I’m afraid. High fever and erratic heart rate agree that your body is in severe shock and internal distress. From simple touch I was able to locate the places where your ribs are absent, 3 in total, by the way, Potter. The initial round of healing charms seems to be successful in removing most of the pain, but a couple doses of skelegrow need to be administered to you over the course of several hours. Perhaps maybe days? I’ll have someone contact the Ministry on your behalf.”

Harry’s mind was in a complete whirlwind. “C-Contact the Ministry?”

“I’m keeping you here overnight Potter. Possibly longer depending on your progress. I’ll have Medi-Nurse Mayford give you what you need for an overnight stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments makes my heart flutter <3
> 
> Follow my tumblr @sleepdeprivedravenclaw


	2. Chapter 2

“Wait, so _Malfoy_ is your healer?! As if your luck wasn’t already rotten enough.” Ron shuddered on the chair beside Harry’s bed.

Hermione, who was sat on the chair on the opposite side of Harry’s bed, spared a quick upwards glare at her bewildered husband as she tutted in light irritation. “Oh behave Ronald! He has earned his qualifications just as much as any another Healer. Don’t be so judgemental.”

Ron and Hermione came to the hospital as soon as the news spread that he was here. _Not that that took long._ News about Harry always spread like wildfire.

 _“_ But _‘Mione-“_

Hermione ignored Ron’s whine as her honey coloured eyes focused on Harry in a motherly fashion. She gently smoothed his hair in a way she hoped was comforting. “How’re you feeling Harry? Does it still hurt?”

It had been a few hours since his initial check up with Malfoy. In that time Medi-Nurse Mayford, the short blonde referred to previously as _‘Eliza’_ by Malfoy, had provided Harry with a hospital gown. She also provided him with his first couple of skelegrow potions. The back of Harry’s throat fizzed unpleasantly at the memory, the taste of liquorice still coating the back of his tongue.

“I’m okay ‘Mione. I suffered worse injuries in school from Quidditch remember? It’s not really that bad.”

That was a lie of course. _It really fucking hurt._

“How’s the rest of the case going Ron? Have I missed much?”

Ron’s eyes gleamed at the change of conversation topic. Ron deserves to talk about his achievements; he made a fine good Auror. In the years following the war, Ron has really shone, and stepped out of his best friend’s shadow. “We think we know the whereabouts to where the McDougal twins disapparated. Kingsley has ordered a stakeout on the outskirts of the perimeter where their safe house could be. We’re making notes on how many people seem to come and go from around there. It’s good progress mate.”

Harry felt the plunging feeling of guilt settle in his gut. “They apparated because of me. If I had just dodged that curse they wouldn’t have had the chance to get away. They’d be under veritaserum right now, facing a possible life sentence is Azkaban.”

This had been an important case in the Auror department for quite some time now. The McDougal twins were infamous wizards with vampiric blood. They charmed innocent people to invite them into their houses, before sucking their blood dry and robbing them of prized possessions – selling them in the black market for extreme profit.

“Harry don’t be too hard on yourself. Vampire-wizard hybrids are extremely powerful. It would have been impossible for that curse to miss you. We should all be thankful that it removed some of your ribs, not all of them like intended.” Hermione’s eyes watered lightly, chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully.

“You’d think our saviour’s luck would have run out by now. Defeating the Darkest Wizard of our time would normally drain anybody of their lucky streak. But not _Potter_.” A short laugh erupted sharply. _“You make dying look like a choice.”_

All three sets of eyes looked up, startled at the blonde healer who had silently entered the room. Malfoy was leant against the doorframe of the room, examining his nails, almost looking bored.

_How long had he been standing there?_

“Bugger off Malfoy, aren’t you supposed to be the professional here?” Sneered Ron, who straightened his back in his seat.

Hermione flashed a warning glance at Ron, Harry could hear the ‘ _be civil’_ demand set within her clenched jaw.

“I _am_ a professional Weasley, if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have allowed you to sit in one of _my_ chairs in _my_ hospital ward, gushing over one of _my_ patients.”

Harry felt a heat rise into his cheeks. _Malfoy referred to him as ‘his.’_

“Harry said he was fine. What’s his real condition like Malfoy?” Hermione removed her fingers from Harry’s hair and turned in her seat to face Malfoy. Harry chewed his bottom lip, sparing a glance at the back of Hermione’s head, before snapping his eyes back to Malfoy’s face.

Malfoy’s lips curled slightly at the corners, amused by Hermione’s question. He cleared his throat as he made his way further into the room, his eyes scanning over his other patients, making a quick mental note of their vitals. “Very observant Granger. I imagine Potter downplayed the severity of his injuries to you in a typical Griffindor manner. If Potter arrived in my care a couple of hours later than he did, septicaemia would have kicked in. His fever was already dangerous, and heart rate erratic. Treatment and bone regrowth would have been extremely challenging. We would have been looking at permanent damage in a best- case scenario.”

“And the worst case?” Harry himself questioned, finding it hard to get the words out over the huge lump that had formed in his throat. He felt Hermione lace her fingers into his own, squeezing hard in silent worry.

Draco picked up the chart on the end of an elderly woman’s bed, not looking up from it to meet Harry’s eyes. “I repeat, you make death seem like a choice.”

Harry heard Ron grinding his teeth, cracking his knuckles absent-mindedly. It had become a nervous tick of Ron’s to click his joints, as if that would relieve his inner tension.

“The only thing that matters is that Harry is here now. If you own this ward like you say you do then Harry is receiving an excellent standard of care, even if it is from _you_. Don’t scare ‘Mione like that you prick.” Ron’s voice was level, but deep. Hermione gave a grateful smile towards Ron, giving Harry’s hand another squeeze. Her eyes beamed with pride.

Malfoy said nothing for many moments. His jaw was set hard. Harry saw his knuckles whiten from his grip on his chart, though no emotion was clear on his aristocratic face. “Potter needs another dose of skelegrow and a physical examination to see the progress of his treatment so far. I am afraid visiting hours are over for tonight. You are more than welcome to come in the morning to check on him. I’ll let you say your goodbyes.” Malfoy gave a polite nod towards Harry’s friends, before making his way to the other side of the room to deal with another patient.

Harry’s heart pounded hard in his chest. _Physical examination?_ Harry’s mind relived the feeling of Malfoys palms against his burning flesh, and his heart pounded in his throat. He closed his eyes as his face was enveloped in a sudden, overwhelming flush. His cheeks and ears were burning.

“We’ll be back as soon as we can mate, I promise.” Harry felt Ron give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze but kept his eyes closed.

“Take care Harry." Hermione's voice was gentle.

Harry heard the scrapping of chairs and departing footsteps. He took a deep breath to steady himself, suddenly feeling dizzy and overwhelmed. _Why wasn’t this fucking day over yet?_ He opened his eyes slowly, letting his world come into focus on Malfoy, who’s grey eyes bore into his own from across the room.

“Are you ready to proceed with your second round of treatment, Potter?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the second chapter! (Currently not beta read)
> 
> The rating of this story will go up when I start writing... More age appropriate material if you catch my drift...  
> The more comments you leave, the faster I write the next chapter ;)


	3. Chapter 3

Harry let out an exhausted sigh and nodded his consent. “Let’s just get this over with.”

Malfoy nodded and silently made his way towards the bed. Harry watched as the man summoned the stethoscope again, resting it over his shoulders.

“Ron doubted your talent as a Healer Malfoy. ‘Mione defended you. Please don’t talk to her like that again.”

Malfoy’s voice was flat. His gaze was focused on adjusting the instrument around his neck, and the collars of his robe. “Granger asked me a question, Potter. I answered honestly. Would you rather I lied? I thought Gryffindors were about chivalry and doing the right thing.”

“Telling someone in gruesome detail how I could have died was not the right thing Malfoy.”

“I never asked for her to defend me Potter. I don’t need an army of little Gryffindors fighting my corner. I don’t suddenly owe her-“

Harry boiled over. “No of course not. Your aunt only carved _‘mudblood’_ into her skin. You don’t owe her any kind of respect or repentance, do you?” The room fell deathly silent. The ticking of the clock was loud and far apart like thunder; time had slowed down. Harry breathed hard as if his lungs had run out of air.

_Where had that come from?_

Malfoy didn’t move. His hands were frozen on his collar. His entire frame was taught and solid. No one in the room breathed a sound. The other patients exchanged rapid glances between each other, their mouths were slightly agape from shock. They all waited as if they were on the point of a needle, waiting for what happens next.

Harry felt guilt plunge through his stomach like a stone into deep water, though he refused to back down. He took a deep breath, steadying himself. “If you think-“

“Take off your gown Potter.”

 _What the fuck?_ Harry’s bodily visibly recoiled in shock, taken back by the demand. He raised his voice. “Malfoy I said-“

Malfoy raised his voice higher. “And I said take off your gown. I won’t ask you again.” Malfoy’s gaze had raised to meet Harry’s in a fiery intensity Harry didn’t think was possible. A monochromatic fire blazed within his eyes. Harry felt immediately suffocated by the heat. His breath caught in his throat and strangled him. A heat within his body spread like wildfire, causing a deep flush across his tanned face and neck.

Slowly, Harry began to turn his back towards Malfoy and focused his eyes on the white-washed wall now ahead of him. He gulped hard, having a lot of shame to swallow. “Could you untie the knot at the back of my neck. Please? I can’t lift my arms.”

A soft “Of course” was muttered in response. Harry felt delicate fingers move against the nape of his neck, and a shiver ran down his spine. He felt the string pull and unravel under the skilled, long fingers that slowly, so slowly, untangled it. Fingertips brushed against the exposed skin of the back his neck, leaving tingling prints. Malfoy was made of metal, and Harry of exposed wire. Harry felt the white individual strings drop over the front of his shoulders, and the fingers he felt briefly on his skin retreated. Harry turned slowly to face Malfoy again, examining his face before breaking his gaze away to check the clock.

_There is no way that was only 15 seconds._

Harry felt the material of the gown flop limply to his waist, exposing his chest. “Malfoy your clock is broken.”

The eyes that bore into his chest snapped up to meet his own. Malfoy’s brow was furrowed in light confusion. “Pardon?”

“It’s slow.”

“No Potter. You’re slow.” Malfoy rolled his eyes and shook his head in exasperation. “Take deep breaths for me.”

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Harry complied.

_In._

_Out._

_In._

Harry felt the familiar cold metal press again his chest and the phantom ice burn that followed. His breath hitched in his throat as he stared at the base of Malfoy’s neck. He imagined the dip that lived in the gap between his collarbones, existing beneath his robes. Harry closed his eyes, unable to drink in another moment. It was too much.

“And out please Potter.”

Harry hesitated, before letting out a shaky breath. He bit down hard on his bottom lip, forcing himself to ground himself.

_It’s Malfoy. Stop letting him get under your skin._

The cold metal removed itself from Harry’s chest. It was replaced by delicate hands once more pressing themselves against both sides of Harry’s ribcage. A quiet, low incantation began escaping from Malfoy’s lips and heat transferred from his palms into Harry’s skin. A low groan escaped Harry’s mouth. Surprised by his own noise, Harry snapped his eyes open.

_Bad idea. Fucking bad idea._

Grey eyes stared intensely into his own once more. The red-light escaping Malfoy’s palms cascaded a flushed tint across Malfoy’s pale skin. His platinum hair shone rose-gold, his eyes a deep metallic. Malfoys lips were dark pink, moving quickly as he uttered the incantations. Malfoy wrapped his fingers around Harry’s sides. His fingertips pressed hard against his flesh. Harry bit down harder on his lip, tasting copper on his tongue. His prick twitched.

_No. Sweet Merlin no. Don’t. Not now._

A quiet whimper escaped between Harry’s teeth as his cock twitched for the second time against his inner thigh. Trying to keep himself together, he moved his arms to cross in the crease where his hips joined his thighs to cover himself. He was half hard now and getting harder by the moment. As desperately as he wanted to, Harry couldn’t tear his gaze away from Malfoy’s face. The power radiating from the man was impalpable. Harry wanted to reach out and place his palm against those sharp cheekbones and stroke the cheek of the healer that was tearing him apart.

_Too much, too much, this is all too fucking much._

Malfoy leant in closer, running his hot palms down the ribs on Harry’s back. They stopped at the base of his back, before going back up to Harry’s shoulder blades. Harry arched his back into Malfoy’s touch, closing his eyes once more. He felt his breath brush against his Healer’s face. He whimpered as his internal inferno churned violently. His prick was fully hard, and if he had to guess, he imagined it was boiling to the touch too. Malfoy stopped his incantations and leant back away from Harry. His hands moved upwards from Harry’s shoulder blade and paused briefly on Harry’s shoulders before running them down Harry’s arms. Harry turned his attention to Malfoy’s palms, watching the red-light fade away.

“Good. You’re doing good, Potter. I examined the back of your ribcage to see if I missed any missing bones in my previous examination. You’ll be pleased to know I didn’t. There are signs to suggest bone reconstruction already.”

Harry nodded at these words, looking over Malfoy’s shoulder. He couldn’t look at him, it was torture. He subtly pressed his palm against his groin, pushing down against his ever-present erection. He suddenly felt really vulnerable, with his torso exposed to Malfoy. Cold air blew against his damp skin which caused Harry to shiver.

“Your fever will be stubborn to control whilst your body is repairing itself. I’ll have medi-nurse Mayford help you with it. At least just enough to help you sleep tonight.”

Harry said nothing. Malfoy’s gaze slowly travelled down his body. Harry squeezed his eyes shut hard, feeling a bubble of panic rising in his throat.

_Please don’t notice. Fucking Merlin help me._

Malfoy wetted his lips and cleared his throat. “Turn.”

Harry felt his hands tremble in his lap, still fighting his erection. He felt scared and confused and angry and exhausted and _yet so fucking aroused._ Harry turned his back towards Malfoy again, staring at the same previous spot on the white-washed wall. Harry began to pull his gown up towards his chest. He winced in pain as he reached his stomach, unable to lift his arms any higher. Electricity ran though Harry’s fingers as he felt Malfoy's hands gently overlap his, taking the gown from Harry’s hands. Malfoy lowered his head to rest his chin above Harry’s shoulder as he tied up the gown at the back of Harry’s neck.

Malfoy’s voice was deep and clear as he spoke. Harry’s erection throbbed as he felt Malfoy’s lips brush against his ear. “Bellatrix was a monster. She was also my mother’s sister, but she was no family of mine. _‘Blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.’_ We have family that isn’t blood, and blood that isn’t family, Potter.”

Once the knot was tied, Malfoy stepped away from Harry and Harry immediately missed his presence. “Medi-Nurse Mayford will be here shortly. Rest up.”

Harry’s brain was in a whirlwind. He turned his head over his shoulder and watched his Healer leave the room, taking the rest of his sanity with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooo angst!!!
> 
> Please let me know what you guys think!  
> The more comments you leave, the faster I write ;)  
> (not beta read)  
> Follow my tumblr @sleepdeprivedravenclaw


	4. Chapter 4

“Penny for your thoughts Mr. Potter.” Medi-Nurse Mayford was reviewing Harry’s chart, sitting on the edge of his bed. Her legs dangled off the side of his bed, swinging playfully. Harry smiled softly at her, amused by her antics. She brought such a warmth with her, she reminded him of Luna in that regard.

“Family is complicated.”

“And you’re just figuring this out?”

Harry rolled his eyes, letting out a playful huff. “Believe me, I’ve known it for years. It’s what Malfoy said earlier I-” Harry paused for a moment, hesitant to continue this conversation. “I crossed a line earlier and said something to Malfoy I shouldn’t have.”

Medi-Nurse Mayford grinned to herself, turning her head to study Harry’s face. “That explains it.”

Harry furrowed his brow lightly in amused confusion. He shook his head letting out a breathy laugh. “Explains what?”

Mayford’s grin spread cheekily. “Why _Bad Faith_ stropped into the Nurses Station to summon me here with a face like a slapped arse.” She hopped off the bed, stretching her back. “Bless him, I’m so surprised he has such nice teeth considering how hard he clenches his jaw.” She gasped to herself, as if an idea had struck her mind like lightening. “Maybe he has veneers-“

“Malfoy? Y-you’re talking about Malfoy, right?”

Mayford studied Harry’s face again for a moment before laughing brightly. “Who else? I mean have you seen someone else that walks around like they have a broom up their arse-“

 _Malfoy’s arse._ Harry shook his head, banishing the thought. “Why do you call him _Bad Faith_?”

“His surname is French. _Mal_ means bad, _Foi_ means Faith. Its only logical that when translated to English his surname is _Bad Faith_ , which I find funny. I was in Ravenclaw at Hogwarts. Intellectual teasing is part of our nature.”

Harry laughed, grinning brightly at the witch. “Very clever. ‘ _Wit beyond measure_ ’ and whatnot.”

“Yes yes, _‘is mans greatest treasure’_. But do you know what else is valuable like treasure? _Gossip._ What did you do that made _Malfoy_ a pissy git?”

Harry covered his face in his hands and groaned. Another sharp pain travelled through his torso as Harry tried to lean forward to adjust his position. Immediately knowing this was a bad idea, he leant back to his previous position with his spine against the metal railings of his headboard. “I brought up people from his past and blamed him for their actions. Not my proudest moment if I’m honest… He has every right to be angry with me.”

“I wouldn’t say he was, like angry per say, just… _Frustrated._ I’ve never seen him like that before if I’m honest. Normally he’s so calm and collected. But when I saw him…” She laughed to herself once more. “He definitely looked rattled.”

Harry had gotten under Malfoy’s skin. He chewed his bottom lip anxiously as his mind raced back to their earlier conversation. “ _We have family that isn’t blood, and blood that isn’t family, Potter.”_

 _As if I didn’t know that._ Images of Sirius, Lupin and the Weasley’s flashed before his eyes. Each one in turn laughed and smiled broadly at Harry. He saw Tonks, Mad-Eye, Hedwig. The vision twisted to the front door of number _4 Privet Drive_. He remembered the venom that would escape his Uncle’s mouth as his eyes bulged out of his enraged face. The vision twisted again, morphing into the front door of The Burrow. He remembered the warmth of Molly’s hugs.

Harry whirled out of his minds-eye back into the room. Mayford was dabbing a cold damp flannel against his forehead, stood at his bedside. The smell of spearmint filled his nose as she softly muttered a diagnostics charm. “Now that’s odd.”

Harry cleared his throat. “What is it?”

“ _Bad Faith_ wrote on your chart that your fever was reaching dangerous levels. I ran another test and it’s slightly feverish, which is expected when a patient is taking healing potions, but no where near the temperature recorded here…”

“That means I’m getting better right?”

Mayford said nothing in response, which unsettled Harry. Her brow was lightly furrowed in thought as she continued to dab Harry’s forehead with the cold, wet cloth.

“Is Malfoy avoiding me?”

A short laugh escaped Mayford’s mouth, and her serious expression broke into a fond grin. “He went home after he fetched me. Not because of you, so don’t get your apologetic knickers in a twist Mr. Potter. His shift should have ended over an hour ago, but clearly he wanted to do a final check of his patients before he left.”

Harry nodded, processing the information. _Malfoy wanted to see me._ “It makes sense coming back here. This is his ward, right?”

“Yep. He does a good job too. We’re very lucky to have him here.”

The conversation fell into comfortable silence. Once Mayford was satisfied that Harry was safe to be left alone to sleep, she vanished the wet flannel and administered Harry a sleeping draught. Harry felt the calming effects of the potion immediately. The infusion of the potion with the soothing scent of lavender from the plants made Harry feel like he was floating on a raft in calm waters. His eyes fluttered shut, allowing the current of sleep to gently take him. “Thanks, Miss Mayford.”

“Eliza.” She said calmly. Her voice sounded far away as the window to Harry’s mind rolled down its blinds. “Goodnight Mr. Potter.”

***************************************************

_Darkness. Darkness was everywhere. Harry felt it seep into his body through his nose and his mouth like thick water. Harry choked and spluttered, wiping his face. Everywhere was darkness. It was all he could see. A sharp pain erupted in his side, like he was being torn apart. Harry clutched his side as he screamed in agony and fell to his knees. Only, his knees didn’t hit the floor. He kept falling lower and lower. Sinking further and further into the darkness. Bright green lightning struck all around Harry as he continued to plummet. An evil cackle filled the air, before his dark world was immersed in green._

Harry awoke with a start, panting heavily. His skin was shining from sweat. The first flickers of sunlight were coming into the room from the window, colouring the room in soft golden tones. Harry jolted from shock as he noticed the tall figure that stood beside his bed with their back against the wall.

_Holy Fuck._

Malfoy was stood there with his arms folded across his chest, simply staring at Harry. “Bad dream Potter?”

Harry fought to regain his breath. His back ached from falling asleep sitting up in his bed. “I didn’t see much if I’m honest.”

Malfoy nodded, as if accepting Harry’s answer. Harry watched how Malfoy lifted his back from the wall and stepped closer towards Harry. Harry watched this man with caution, feeling a chill settle in beneath his bones from his excessive sweating. Malfoy slowly placed the back of his hand against Harry’s forehead. Harry felt the hard bumps of his knuckles against his skin. After a moment Malfoy lifted his hand from Harry’s forehead, and cupped Harry’s cheeks within his palms. The rays of sun from the window shone behind Malfoy and illuminated his frame. He looked ethereal.

_Of course, Malfoy’s hair looks perfect at the break of dawn._

Malfoy gently stroked Harry’s cheekbones with his thumbs and tilted his head softly to the side. Harry closed his eyes as he felt the pad of Malfoy’s thumb rest beneath his eye socket.

“Focus on me Potter. Open your eyes.” Harry supressed a moan as he locked his eyes onto Malfoy’s, whose gaze was so focused and devastatingly alluring. “Okay, this is good.”

Harry said nothing, waiting for the man to continue. He wetted his lips.

“Medi-Nurse Mayford informed me about your fever. It’s amazing how it broke in such little time, hm?”

Harry felt the heat rise back into his cheeks; self-conscious Malfoy would feel the change in temperature underneath his palms. “I’m a model patient what can I say?” Harry’s gaze mirrored Malfoy’s, challenging him. Harry leant forward, wincing slightly in pain, to lean more into Malfoy’s touch. The pad of Malfoy’s thumbs travelled down Harry’s cheek bones, until they rested on the corners of Harry’s jawline. Malfoy’s eyes never left Harry’s face as he cupped his jaw with his hands. A delicious shiver went down Harry’s spine.

 _What the fuck is happening?_ Harry was too aroused to think. His prick shifted against his thigh. Blood gushed to Harry’s groin with such force that the resulting erection bordered on painful.

A heat, whether formed by shame, guilt or arousal, spread across Harry’s skin. He felt a flush creep across his face and neck. His intake of breath hitched. “Why are you doing this Malfoy?”

Malfoy leant in closer to Harry, whose eyes fluttered to the pale man’s rosy pink lips. “I’m studying your temperature.”

“And?”

“You’re hot.” As soon as the words left Malfoy’s lips, he stepped away from Harry. Malfoy reached for Harry’s chart with one hand, as he ran his hand through his hair with the other. “You’re not feverish. Your rise in temperature during my examination was caused by extraneous factors. This is good for your prognosis Potter. You’ll be out of here quick. Today I’d say.”

“But what about my ribs?”

“When I was examining your temperature, by touching your face, you leant forward. This increase in mobility tells me that your bones are growing back at a rapid pace. It won’t be long until they’re back completely.”

Harry let out a relieved breath that he wasn’t aware he was holding. “Wait ‘till Ron hears I’m back on the case with him, he’s gonna be so-“

“Disappointed.”

“What?”

“I’m not allowing you to go back to work you tosser.”

Harry clenched his jaw and clutched his bedsheets hard within his fists. “You just said I’m fine to go home today.”

“Aurors don’t work from home Potter.”

“Are you being a git on purpose or is this just natural for you?”

Malfoy raised his brow at Harry, who attempted to sit up straighter in the bed. Harry ignored the minor stab of pain that followed and lifted his chin at Malfoy in defiance.

“You’re taking the next week off work Potter, possibly two. I figured you’d prefer to heal in the comfort of your home rather than in this place. Did I assume wrong?” Malfoy took Harry’s silence as a cue to continue talking. “As part of your new treatment plan, you will rest at home. I will check up on you and your monitor your progress there. Is that clear?”

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat as he gripped the bedsheets harder.

 _Well this was an interesting development_.

Harry imagined how the tall blonde would react inside the ‘ _ancient and most noble house of Black.’_ The pain of his erection throbbed harder. “Crystal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooo well isn't this development of plot exciting ;)
> 
> Sorry for the delay in between chapters, it was my birthday a few days ago and I have deadlines and exams coming up, so I've been a bit scattered if I'm honest. Of course I've always got time for our angsty boys, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter! (I doubled the length of this chapter compared to the other ones to make up for the time delay).  
> Please feel free to leave comments, your feedback means a lot to me! I really want to know your opinion of the story so far
> 
> Thank you for all your love and support so far, it makes me smile <3


	5. Chapter 5

Harry could not go back to sleep after his conversation with Malfoy. Despite the minimal amount of sleep his body was running on, he felt wired awake and anxious.

 _Who does that prick think he is? Of course, Malfoy would take the piss and invite himself into my house_. _Arrogant tosser._

Harry sat in his bed, continuing to rest his back against the headboard for what seemed like hours. He absent-mindedly chewed on his nails until he reached the pink nubs of his fingertips. Hermione would kill him if she caught him doing this.

 _‘Don’t do that Harry it’ll cause an infection’_ nagged an exaggeratedly high-pitched voice in his head.

Harry removed his abused fingers from his mouth, running them messily up through his hair before clutching the white sheets beside him. He tipped his head back against the headboard with way more force than was needed and closed his eyes as the dull throbbing ricocheted through his brain. The room felt like it was spinning on a tilt, making Harry feel slightly nauseous.

_Fucking brilliant_

*****

“Potter wake up.”

Harry’s eyes burned as he snapped them open, glaring in the direction of the posh drawl. “I wasn’t sleeping.”

“Oh yes, you were just _resting your eyes_.” Malfoy rolled his eyes as he wrote something down on the chart that was cradled in his arm. “I’ve contacted Granger to tell her that you’re getting sent home today. She knows the conditions of your release, so your aggravating hero complex won’t do you any good, Potter. You’re not going back to work.”

Harry gritted his teeth.

“Medi-Nurse Mayford will come by shortly to-“

“Eliza.”

“Pardon?”

“Her name Malfoy. She’s called Eliza, stop trying to sound posh and proper all the time.” Harry had no idea why he was being so difficult; he was just in the mood for a fight.

Malfoy let out a slow sigh, closing his eyes as he did it for dramatic effect. “I know the name of my colleague, Potter.” Malfoy opened his eyes and paused for a moment, examining Harry’s face. “Do you want a pepper-up potion?”

Harry shot up his eyebrows, letting out a single dry laugh. “Are you saying I need it? I look that bad do I?”

“You’ve looked better.” Malfoy spent another moment staring at Harry before turning his gaze back down to the clipboard, scribbling something else down. “Eliza will come by and return your clothes and belongings to you so you’re ready for your release this afternoon. You’re not in the condition to leave by yourself, so Granger told me she would side-apparate you home.”

“During your conversation with her did you apologize for being a prick yesterday?”

This time it was Malfoy who gritted his teeth. “Adults don’t always need to say the childish words _‘I’m sorry’_ to apologise, Potter. An apology is done by actions. I contacted her, and spoke with her professionally about your condition-“

“You didn’t tell her I’m on the cusp of death for a cheap thrill again, right?”

Malfoy’s face remained calm and demure as he tilted up his chin. His jaw was set as he stared down at Harry. It did not go unnoticed that the clipboard began to bend within Malfoy’s tightening grip. “Granger will be here by noon. I suggest you go back to sleep for a few hours just so everybody else in this room doesn’t have to _suffer_ because of your snotty little attitude.”

Harry swallowed the tight ball that had appeared in his throat. His mouth felt dry as he lowered his head and stared at the corner of his blanket. The silence that had grown between the two men was broken by a chesty cough that came from a man a few beds away.

“Side effects of skelegrow include irritability and drowsiness. I’ll have Eliza get you that pepper-up potion and some toast. Keep your fluids up Potter.” Malfoy took out his wand and pointed it at the glass of water on Harry’s bedside table. A soft “ _aquamenti”_ left his lips and Harry heard the even softer sound of running water. Harry turned his head towards the sound and watched the glass fill up. A final incantation was placed on the glass cup that made it glow faintly for a moment before retuning to normal. “A replenishing charm. Drink up, Potter.”

Malfoy completed the rounds of his patients before leaving the room. Harry kept his eyes trained on the back of the blonde’s head until he walked down the corridor, out of sight. True to his word, Eliza shortly came into the room with a blue plastic tray bobbing behind her. Her smile was bright and she all but skipped into the room. “Good morning Harry, I take it that you didn’t sleep very well last night.”

_Very direct._

Harry took a sip of water, wetting his mouth before smiling back up at her. “I feel like a sack of shit, truth be told.”

“How’s your ribs?”

“Fine.”

Eliza’s smile deepened at the corners as the tray lowered itself onto Harry’s lap. She sat in the chair next to his bed and summoned his chart, eyeballing it carefully. “No feverish attacks since yesterday, that’s good! Oof _‘hostile and irritable’_ maybe we should adjust your skelegrow dosage…”

Harry sighed as he chewed half-heartedly on a slice of toast. “I’m not irritable, Malfoy is just annoying.”

“Are you excited about going home in a few hours?”

Harry found it extremely hard to swallow his mouthful. He felt the heavy, stodgy lump drag down his throat almost painfully. “No. I’m not looking forward to being a prisoner in my own home. I don’t want to sit around and do nothing whilst dangerous criminals are planning their next move.” Harry lowered his voice, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. “I let them get away once, I can’t let it happen again.”

Eliza learnt forward to rest a hand on Harry’s shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze. “It’s for your own good okay? If you resist treatment or go to work before you’re fully recovered it will do much more damage than good. Believe me when I say it would take a lot more time and rigorous treatment to fix you the second time round. _Bad Faith_ might be a git, but he seems to care a fair bit for you.” Eliza rubbed Harry’s shoulder with her thumb.

Harry felt his muscles relax under her touch and scoffed playfully turning to look at her. “If I was on fire and Malfoy had a glass of water, he would drink it.”

Eliza laughed and her blue eyes twinkled under the ceiling light. “Home treatment is considered quite a privilege. You get the undivided attention of Healers and Medi-Nurses in the comfort of your own home. _Bad Faith_ would have had to do a lot of paperwork to authorise this for you.”

Harry chewed his lip and felt a tingly feeling rush down his spine in a way that was becoming much too familiar. “I was such an asshole this morning.”

“Side effects of skelegrow-“

“Does not excuse my behaviour of speaking to someone like shit.”

Eliza gave his shoulder one last squeeze before removing her hand. She stood up and stretched, bending her neck from left to right. She casted a quick tempus incantation, which made _10:52_ appear in front of them in blue, digital-clock style font. “Finish your breakfast Harry, and I’ll get everything ready for you.”

Harry took another bite of toast, feeling a second wave of nausea crash into his chest.

*********

“He’s all good to go! This bag contains painkiller tonics and the usual remedies that should help to reduce uncomfortable symptoms in between his potion doses.” Hermione nodded at Eliza. Her brow was furrowed in hard concentration as she took the small black briefcase from the Medi-Nurse. “There is only enough of each remedy and tonic to last him 24 hours at a time, so overdoses or substance abuse is prevented. This supply will be topped up when needed to by his appointed hospital staff, which includes Healer Malfoy, and myself, Medi-Nurse Mayford. If anyone else tries to gain access into Harry’s home stating they are medical staff, contact the hospital immediately. Do you have any questions, Mrs Granger-Weasley?”

“No, you’ve made it very clear, thank you. Oh, and call me Hermione. Mrs Granger-Weasley makes me sound old.”

Eliza grinned brightly, tucking a loose lock of blonde wavy hair behind her ear. “It sounds much too grown up doesn’t it. Call me Eliza.”

Hermione returned the smile. Her attention was shifted towards Harry as he slowly tried to lift himself from the bed. He had changed into a faded blue t-shirt that Hermione had brought with her to the hospital and baggy pyjama bottoms that hung low on his hips. His Auror robes had been shrunken by Hermione prior to her conversation with Eliza and were folded snugly within her handbag. Harry winced as a sharp pain flared in his torso as he tried lifting himself from the bed. “Here, let me help you.” Hermione grabbed Harry’s arm and placed it around her shoulders to take his weight, continuing to help him to his feet.

Harry scrunched up his eyes with effort, ignoring the pain as he rose to his feet. “Thanks ‘Mione.”

She smiled softly and kissed Harry’s temple before looking back at Eliza. “Are we able to apparate in here?”

Eliza shook her head and smiled, clearly touched by the pair. “There are anti-apparation wards in here to stop patients disappearing in the night. There’s an apparition point at the end of this corridor. Before we go however, I need to numb Harry’s injuries so he can walk the distance required. Is it okay if I touch you Harry?”

Harry nodded and pressed more of his body weight onto Hermione; he already feeling light-headed from exertion. The palm of Eliza’s hands turned blue as she placed them against Harry’s ribcage. The sensation that followed was peculiar; it felt like Harry’s organs had been lined with pillows. Eliza withdrew her hands and the blue light from her palms disappeared. “Okay, let’s get you home.”

The trio made their way steadily towards the double doors at the end of the corridor. Eliza held open the door as Hermione started to guide Harry through. He looked back over his shoulder as he walked, and what he saw made his heart bleed.

_Mother of Merlin._

Malfoy was leant against a door frame with his arms folded across his chest, watching Harry. A stethoscope was hung around his neck, and his wand was tucked behind his left ear. The corner of Malfoy’s lip was raised into what could only be described as devious smirk. Harry’s mouth went dry. Emerald eyes never left platinum as he made his way through the double doors.

***

It had been ten minutes after Hermione left when his floo activated. Harry was led on the sofa, with the taste of liquorice still on his tongue from the pain relief tonic Hermione had made him drink, when the green flames roared.

Malfoy stepped elegantly out of the fireplace and brushed the non-existent dust off his robes. Harry raised his body slightly and propped himself using his elbows. “Here already?”

“Apparently.” The blonde brushed the cuff of his sleeve one final time as he looked up to meet Harry’s eyes. His jaw was still slightly set as he removed his robes and placed them on the coffee table.

Harry wasn’t expecting anything in particular, but he still felt surprised to know Malfoy wore fashionable muggle clothing beneath his robes. A cable knitted jumper and tailored grey trousers to be precise. The rich darkness of Malfoy’s green jumper made his grey irises look like lighthouse beacons against a stormy sea. In that moment Harry was grateful for the loose fit of his pyjama bottoms. “I was a real git to you earlier. I’m sorry about that.”

“Save it Potter I’m not here to be your friend.”

“I know you might not want to hear it alright but-“

“Stick out your tongue.”

Harry’s brain felt like it had hit a brick wall.

“If you keep staring at me like that I’ll leave.”

Harry swallowed before opening his mouth and hesitantly sticking out his tongue. Malfoy came and knelt before Harry on the floor. Harry adjusted his position slightly, staying with his body weight resting on his elbows. Malfoy was so close to Harry that they must have been sharing the same breath. Harry felt a heat spread across his skin so intensely that he closed his eyes. A soft pant escaped his lips as the heat spread to his crotch. There was nothing that Harry wanted more than for the blonde to close the remaining painful distance between them and suck on his tongue with such force that his cheeks would hollow. Harry’s breath hitched at the dirty image in his mind.

Why did Malfoy of all people have this effect on him? It didn’t seem fair. Harry’s attraction to men was no secret, but he still felt betrayed by his own body’s reaction to the blonde git.

Something cold and smooth was placed on Harry’s tongue. Harry’s eyes were the size of dinner plates when his eyes flew open in shock. A second wave of shock rolled through his stomach when he saw the amused smirk that was curled on Malfoy’s lips. The substance began to melt on his tongue.

_Chocolate?_

“I know Eliza gave you a lot of standard pain-relieving remedies in your hospital bag, but personally I can’t imagine you being a huge fan of liquorice.”

Harry closed his mouth and sucked on the square of chocolate. It coated his tongue in a thick, delicious film that warmed up his insides. “Mm… S’ amazing…Where’d you get it?”

“I made it.”

Harry stared at Malfoy in a mixture of disbelief, shock and wonder. “You make chocolate?”

“I make the recovery period easier for my patients.” Malfoy searched Harry’s face one final time before getting to his feet. Harry watched the man clear his throat and run a hand back through his hair before he busied himself by rummaging through Harry’s hospital bag on the table.

_Personal disclosure seemed to make the man nervous._

“Judging by your inventory I take it Granger already gave you a tonic?”

Harry let a bright grin spread across his face. “The moment my feet touched the ground she shoved the bottle down my throat.”

“Sounds like Granger.” A chuckle escaped Malfoy’s lips before he could stop it, and Harry found himself laughing along.

“You constantly surprise me, Malfoy.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you guys are!! I'm so sorry for the delay between uploading, my first exam is in less than a week so it's been hard trying to balance my time - I made this chapter a little longer to make up for it though so hope you all forgive me <3333
> 
> I loved writing this little bit of fluff, but I assure you in the next coming chapters (starting with the next one maybe) you will understand why this has an explicit rating ;)
> 
> Please please PLEASE let me know what you guys think of the story so far, there is a LOT more to come!! I'm really excited to share it with you guys <3  
> The more feedback you give, the faster I write the next chapter, deal? ;)
> 
> Thank you for all your love and support so far, it really means a lot to me.  
> Stay safe <3
> 
> Follow my tumblr: @sleepdeprivedravenclaw


	6. Chapter 6

12 Grimmauld Palace had become a place that Harry had made his own. Gone were the ghostly relics of the past that haunted the headquarters for the Order, and in its place stood an open and light living space. The familiar troll leg umbrella stand was the first thing that Harry had incinerated, along with the old dark wood furniture tainted with the scars of dark magic. In the Summer following the war, Harry had thrown a bonfire party with his closest family and friends. The late summer breeze rustled through the trees and intermingled with the sound of over layered conversations and laughter, as the wood of the bonfire crackled. Harry fondly remembered Ron throwing the screaming portrait of Walburga Black into the fire. As the portrait burned, Harry raised his beer bottle to the sky as a silent _‘cheers’_ to Sirius, who Harry knew would have loved to have seen this. Harry laughed freely as he watched George and Ginny skip around the fire chanting _‘ding dong the witch is dead’,_ and couldn’t help but imagine that Sirius was skipping joyfully along with them in spirit.

_“Which old witch?”_

_“The Wicked Witch!”_

_“Ding dong the wicked witch is dead...”_

Much to Hermione’s adoration, Harry had chosen to bury decorative heads of the House Elves in the back corner of his garden. Harry was not a man of faith, but at the time of the burial it had felt appropriate to cast a purity charm on the ground that they were buried under; wishing to grant them respect and thanks for the servitude. A simple, white stone lay above their resting ground, and Harry wished more than anything sometimes that Dobby lay under it too.

It had taken close to a year, but Grimmauld Palace was a warm and welcoming home, with lightly coloured cream walls, and oak wood panelling. Lavender Brown and Parvarti Patil took complete control of redesigning the layout of Harry’s furniture, _not that Harry had a say in the matter_. They had both become obsessed with the muggle idea of _‘Feng Shui’_ and organised the bookshelves, sofas, beds and various other bits of furniture in a way that allowed the rooms to remain fashionably spacious and sophisticated. The windows were replaced with bay windows that allowed sunlight to filter through and illuminate the near translucent curtains. Though, privacy charms meant people could not see into the house from the outside.

Plants were scattered throughout the house, that secreted a scent based on the season. It was currently autumn, so the scent of cinnamon and cedar wood faintly echoed in the air. The first few days after Harry’s release from St. Mungos had passed quickly, and a routine was beginning to be established.

Eliza would be at Harry’s bedside every morning as he woke up, and her cheerful, vibrant face would be the first thing he saw. She would wring the excess water out of the flannel and into the water bowl beneath it before soothing Harry’s fever that would creep up during the night. They would talk for an hour or so as Eliza would break Harry’s fever, whilst making sure he kept his fluid intake up. She would wait until after Harry had finished the breakfast Kreacher would prepare for him, alongside a skelegrow potion, and then head back to St. Mungos. In the couple of hours that followed, Harry would leave his master bedroom on the second floor and make his way slowly up the flight of stairs to the top floor of the house. There, he would sit in his office and review paperwork and case files; tying up any loose ends he would not have the time to do if he was not out of action.

_Silver linings and whatnot…_

In the late morning to early afternoon, Harry would always make sure to be in his living room on the ground floor of the house, which conveniently allowed him to lie on the sofa in front of his fireplace. Coincidentally, Malfoy would always emerge out of the fireplace in front of him in a grand entrance of green flames. The first thing Malfoy did as he entered the room is take off his robes, which always made Harry’s blood rush to his face as he would reveal an outfit comprised of tight tailored trousers and a soft looking, yet expensive, jumper. Next, Malfoy would check the contents of Harry’s medical bag, and ask Harry to undress ready for his examination. Harry then would remove his shirt, probably more eagerly than he should, and would cherish the way Malfoy’s red glowing palms would travel across his torso. Every day he allowed the tall man to heal him, whilst feeling like he was being torn deliciously apart. The length of Malfoy’s stay always varied. The day that followed Harry’s release, Malfoy made no small talk, and left immediately after Harry’s treatment, which confused Harry considering how easy it was to talk to the git after he had given him the chocolate the previous day. Though, the following day Malfoy stayed until the early evening, insisting he had _‘to keep an eye on Harry’s progress.’_

The hot and cold approach from Malfoy confused Harry to no end. Though the more Malfoy gave him the cold shoulder, the more Harry ached to feel his lips against his skin.

Regardless of how long Malfoy decided to stay for, Harry’s routine after he left was always consistent. The moment Malfoy disappeared through the floo, Harry would stare longingly at the place where the man no longer stood. Harry’s cock would ache torturously as he would drag his damaged body to the master bathroom on the second floor. There, he would have a hot shower, and let the water trickle down the back of his neck as he would hang his head forward beneath the water. The palm of his hand would be stretched out on the wall in front of him. In his other hand, would be his throbbing erection, that he would begin to fist slowly, until flashing images of short blonde hair and the feeling of strong, aristocratic hands on his body came into his mind, making him tug himself harder. Harry would squeeze his eyes shut and moan deeply at the thought of those grey eyes fluttering and staring up at him with blown out pupils, as Malfoy would close his lips over Harry’s cock, taking it deeply. It was this image of Malfoy on his knees with hollowed, blushing cheeks, that made Harry’s balls tighten and cause him to cum hard against the shower tiles.

The moments that followed Harry’s desperate release was always the same. The running of the water seemed to roar in his ears as Harry would pant with his eyes shut. He chest cavity would fill with the sudden, strong emotions of shame, longing and emptiness as his cock returned to lay limp again.

Today was different, however. Eliza had left after amusing Harry with her insistence that Luna Lovegood was correct in her theory of the existence of Wrackspurts. But come early afternoon, Malfoy was no-where to be seen.

_Not that Harry was waiting for him or anything._

Harry adjusted his position on the sofa slightly, turning his head every couple of seconds to the clock on his wall. It was approaching 2pm, and Harry’s ribs were beginning to feel tight. He winced lightly as he sat himself up and made his way towards the armchair next to the fireplace that his hospital bag was sat in. He opened the bag and took out a pain-relieving tonic, secretly loving the feeling of the cold glass against his clammy palm. Harry was sweating lightly as he felt the skelegrow piece together shards of bone like a complicated jigsaw.

_Fucking Merlin this hurts._

The floo roared behind Harry as he pressed the bottle against his lips. Much too quickly, Harry snapped around to the direction of the noise, just in time to see Malfoy place his robes on the coffee table.

“Afternoon, Potter.” Malfoy’s voice sounded like a dull blade, and Harry prepared himself for the cold shoulder.

“Busy day today?”

“Yeah.”

_Extremely cold shoulder._

Harry’s swallowed his mouthful and winced as the bitter taste of liquorice travelled down his throat, before turning back to place the bottle back in the bag. “If you need to unwind for a bit, I can have Kreacher bring us in some tea.” Harry heard the movement behind him stop for a moment.

“Have you got peppermint?” Harry interpreted this as Malfoy trying to nonchalantly accept his offer. He couldn’t stop the bright grin forming on his face. 

“I believe so.”

“Peppermint then, please.”

Sensing he was about to be summoned, Kreacher appeared in the room with a light pop. “Masters be wanting me, yes?”

Harry’s grin fell onto the house elf that was staring up at him expectantly. “Prepare a tea tray for my guest and I please, peppermint and Earl Grey if we have it.”

Kreacher’s beady eyes fixed onto Malfoy and bowed so lowly that the tip of his pointy nose touched the floor. “To serve a Black again. Kreacher is honoured to serve the Masters of ancient and most noble house of Black.” The bow was extended for quite some time, before Kreacher stood upright again and vanished out of the room.

“I wouldn’t have thought your moral compass allowed for slaves, Potter.” Harry could hear the way smiled into his sentence. _The icy man was being playful._

Harry sighed and shook his head playfully. “He came with the house. Honestly, just consider him part of the furniture.” Harry turned his head to look over his shoulder and felt his stomach fizzle in shock. Malfoy had approached Harry and was now stood right behind him. The breath in Harry’s chest hitched violently as he took this moment to evaluate Malfoy up close. The Healer was slightly taller than himself, about an inch or so. Flecks of celeste blue were scattered amongst those light grey eyes, and there was not a single freckle or blemish to be found across his marble skin. The sides of his hair were cut fashionably short whilst remaining long on the top, allowing for soft blonde waves to roll onto his forehead. Malfoy’s once pointed features still looked sharp, but handsomely so.

“Do I have something on my face?”

Harry blinked a couple times, and felt the colour rise in his cheeks again. An uncontrollable laugh bubbled out of his throat as he ran his hand back through his unruly locks before clearing his throat. “Just freckles.”

Malfoy’s eyes widened comically he stepped back from Harry, looking stricken. “Freckles?! Who do you take me for, a fucking Weasley?”

Harry’s face broke into a playful grin, and felt his sexual tension disintegrate. “Well, the gene pool for purebloods is very shallow. Ron is basically your cousin. Would you spend Christmas at The Burrow with all your extended family Malfoy?.” The laughter erupted from Harry harder as Malfoy’s skin grew impossibly paler. It was when Malfoy’s mouth hung open to speak that Harry’s laughter began to die down, and his gaze lowered to the man’s dusty pink lips.

*************

Sitting down and having tea with Malfoy allowed for a pleasant exchange of conversation. Harry had found out that this was Malfoy’s first year at being the head of his department, and how surprised Malfoy had been to be named his superior’s successor. From the stories Malfoy had told him about his most memorable cases, it did not surprise Harry one bit why he was chosen for the role. It is in Malfoy’s nature to be calculating and analytical, though Harry no longer saw these traits in the malicious light that he did in school. It allowed Malfoy to think first before he acted, which was crucial when people’s lives were hanging in the balance of his decisions. Throughout their talk Harry was also discovering that this man was charming, witty had the flair for the dramatics within his storytelling. Malfoy gestured a lot with his hands, and his eyebrows moved emotively as he talked.

“Eliza kept insisting that Loony Lovegood's theory of bloody wrackspurts needed to receive funding from the board. I swear that girl has fairies in her head…”

How long had these feelings been living within Harry? He had been obsessed with his childhood rival throughout his entire stay at Hogwarts. He knew so much about the git. He knew that Malfoy had a sweet tooth from the frequent parcels full of sweets that were sent to him by his parents. He knew that Malfoy’s skin developed a grey tint when he was nervous. He knew that Malfoy never blushed, instead his entire face would flush pink if he was embarrassed.

He had always seen Malfoy for what he was.

_But when had he become infatuated?_

“Potter?”

Harry jerked back in his seat softly as his mind entered the present.

_Fuck._

_I have feelings for the tosser._

Malfoy was leant forward in his seat to set his cup back onto the tray on the table. “We’ve delayed it long enough. Take off your shirt, Potter, it’s time for your assessment.”

Harry did his best to hide his inner turmoil, and instead smiled knowingly to himself as he lifted his shirt slowly above his head. Malfoy had summoned Harry’s clipboard that Eliza had left in Harry’s bedroom, and began scanning it with his eyes. Malfoy's lips moved as he read the words.

“Frequent fever spells during the night, however still substantially lower than during your stay in the hospital...”

Harry licked his lips as he felt a draft of cold air brush against his nipples.

“Are you in pain?”

“The feeling between pain relief tonics feels more tight than sharp now.”

“Amazing. Lie down.”

Harry shifted himself on the sofa, and slowly began to lie down. He winced slightly and chewed on his lip as he felt his ribs groan in protest to his torso being stretched. Harry sighed in relief as he focused his gaze onto the ceiling. He took deep breaths as his discomfort began to roll away.

_Breathe. Relax._

“Close your eyes please.”

Harry swallowed as he let his eyelids drift shut. He heard the sound of the clipboard being placed on the table, and the sound of approaching footsteps. He felt the edge of the sofa beside him dip as Malfoy sat down. The familiar incantation began to escape from Malfoy’s lips and Harry immediately felt heat radiate from the man. A dark rouge tint appeared in the darkness that Harry could see; Malfoy’s palms being the source of the light.

Slow, tantalising pressure was placed against Harry’s sides which caused Harry’s chest to deflate as he let go of the breath he did not know he was holding.

_Breathe…_

Harry felt his body react strongly to the touches, as his skin scorched with desire. A shaky breath left Harry’s lips as he tried desperately to keep his body under control.

_Relax…_

Harry was fully erect now, and he barely noticed that those hands on his body were venturing lower until it too late to stop what happened next.

Malfoy’s wrist had brushed against Harry’s erection.

_Fuck._

Harry’s eyes snapped open and his face burned crimson. Malfoy stayed perched on the edge of the sofa with hugely widened eyes. His mouth was hung open in what Harry could only surmise as shock, and his wrist was still pressed against Harry’s crotch.

Harry opened and closed his mouth a couple times, but only a strangled noise came out.

_Fuck Fuck Fuck Fucking Fuck._

Malfoy snapped his eyes away from Harry’s to stare down at Harry’s tenting erection, before recoiling his hand as if he was burnt. Malfoy must have suddenly been aware that he was staring, as he tore his eyes away and shook his head violently. A long, shaky breath left the healer as he rubbed his face in his hands, before running them back through his hair. In an instant Malfoy was walking and grabbing his robes. His voice was strained, but still composed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Potter.”

Harry was sat up now, stretching out his hand trying to reach Malfoy. “No no no no Malfoy wait I can explain just-“

The back of the Healer’s neck was flushed red as he disappeared in a roar of green flames.

“Don’t go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooooo ANGSTY!!!
> 
> I know there is a lot of filler in this chapter, but I felt that it was important to submerge you more into Harry's headspace, especially considering this is written in his perspective :))
> 
> The story is really getting juicy now!   
> I have my next exam in a weeks time, so I'll try and work on the next chapter as soon as I can!! 
> 
> Please please please leave comments telling me what you guys think, I'd love to hear feedback!   
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments so far, and thank you for so many hits on this story - it warms my heart to see it, it really does <3
> 
> Hope you are all staying sane during lockdown!!  
> Follow my tumblr: @sleepdeprivedravenclaw


	7. Chapter 7

Harry stared into the empty fireplace and felt panic bubble up inside him. He ran his hands back through his hair and squeezed his eyes shut to stop hot tears from escaping.

10 minutes had passed, and his breath was now coming out in shallow pants.

_Fuck fuck fuck fuck._

This was bound to have happened sooner or later, but Harry couldn’t stop kicking himself.

_I should have controlled myself. I should have been more aware._

Harry pressed his palms hard against his eye sockets and curled his fingers into his hair.

_Get a grip of your fucking self, Malfoy is the victim here, not you._

Harry couldn’t get the image of Malfoy’s shock out of his head. More specifically, the way his grey eyes grew wide and fixated on the bulge that his wrist had unknowingly pressed against.

_He has every right to be disgusted with me._

Forcing himself to move, Harry slowly uncurled his body and put his t-shirt back on. He ignored the way his ribs protested. He felt like he deserved the pain.

He couldn’t stay here. The ticking of the clock on the wall was plucking his last, fraying nerve. He had to go somewhere else, anywhere else, and fast. Harry rose to his feet and made his way to the fireplace. He grabbed a handful of floo powder from the bowl on the mantelpiece and threw it into the fireplace before stepping inside. He let the flames consume him, and his living room swirled away. He wasn’t even sure what address had left his lips.

Stumbling out of the second fireplace, Harry felt a surge of pain course through his left side. He pressed a hand against his offending ribs and took slow, deep breaths as he collected his bearings.

White cream rug, light wood flooring, grey sofas scattered with green and red cushions. _Ginny’s apartment._

Harry called out her name out into the empty room. “Gin? You home?” He pressed his hand against his side harder as he walked further out into the room. He heard rain hit the windows, modern-rock music playing in another room and the scurrying of approaching footsteps.

“Harry? What are you- _fuck me_ you look like shit.”

“Nice to see you too Gin.”

Ginny was stood in the archway that joined her living room to her kitchen. Harry watched the way she studied his appearance and couldn’t blame her for the way she drank him in with a mixture of shock, confusion, concern and amusement. “You’re in luck, I’ve just popped the kettle on.” She nodded her head towards the other room and disappeared through the archway.

Harry flashed her a grin as he followed her into the kitchen. As he stepped through the archway the music became louder.

_When you’re in the car with your driver_

_You’ll hear how we blew up like a bonfire_

_God knows we’re survivors_

_And this one’s for you…_

“Ron told me you were in the hospital, you alright?” The mugs lived in the top cupboard. Ginny had to jump and lock her wrist against the worktop in order to push herself up to reach them. It would have been so much easier to bring them down with magic but Ginny always stubbornly refused to give in. She wouldn’t give Blaise the satisfaction that he was right about the cupboard being too high up.

“I’m alright now, I’m being treated at home.”

“Oh yeah? Is your Healer nice?”

“Could be nicer.”

“Oh?”

“It’s Malfoy.”

Ginny dropped a mug.

She stared down at the ceramic shards on the floor and huffed. “Oh shit on it.” She grabbed her wand from the back pocket of her dungarees and casted a _reparo_ before guiding the newly mended mug back onto the counter. She had always been good at practical magic. She cleared her throat and turned around to face Harry. “Malfoy is your healer?” Harry knew she meant this as a statement, though it came out more as a question.

“I mean he _was_ my healer. “

“So, you’re better now?”

“No I’m still in recovery-“

“Wait I’m confused. Did you fight? Did you break his nose? Oh my god imagine if he had to be admitted as his own patient-

“No, we didn’t fight Gin. I didn’t break his _stupid_ pointy nose.” Harry broke the eye contact and looked at his bare feet as the shame licked his insides. He felt an embarrassed flush creep up the back his neck and face.

Ginny blinked. “Okay mister cryptic.” She huffed playfully, rolling her eyes as turned back to face the counter and prepared two cups of tea. “You show up in my apartment in the middle of the day wearing nothing on your feet and still in your pyjamas – not that I’m judging or anything since you’re recovering and all- clearly troubled about something.”

Harry opened his mouth to object, but Ginny kept going.

“It’s something that you’re too embarrassed to tell Hermione about, otherwise you’d be at her and Ron’s house right now. You don’t want comfort ‘cause otherwise you’d be at The Burrow letting mum smother you in hugs and feeding you until you popped-”

“Gin I didn’t-“

“Like what’s your big secret Hazza, you’re acting all secretive and weird, it’s like you’ve got a big gay crush on the man and you did something stupid.” Ginny laughed to herself as she picked up the mugs and turned around.

Her smile disappeared completely from her face as Harry stared guiltily at her like a misbehaved puppy.

Ginny dropped both mugs this time.

Harry’s Auror reflexes kicked in, making him cast a quick _wingardium leviosa_ on the mugs before they hit the ground. The mugs flew back up into Harry’s hands and he offered Ginny the red mug with fluttering snitches on it. After a moment, Ginny slowly reached out to take the mug from Harry. She clutched it in both hands and cradled it in front of her chest. Her face was the image of shock, with her freckles even more vibrant with her skin paled.

“Oh my god you’ve got a big gay crush on the man and you did something stupid.” She muttered softly.

“Sit down Gin and I’ll tell you everything. Just don’t drop your-“

_Too late._

Harry casted a _reparo._

************

Harry and Ginny sat next to each other at Ginny’s square dining room table. Harry had confessed everything that had happened over the past few days. He told her how he got injured, how he felt when he was assigned Malfoy as his healer, how he felt when the git touched him, how Malfoy _apparently knew how to make chocolate_. He told her all this before spilling the event that had just gone down, that made Harry went to crawl under a rock and die.

“So, let me get this straight.” Ginny sipped from her mug with a thoughtful frown on her face. She talked slow, as if she were still wrapping her head around the story. “You’re upset, because Malfoy is upset, because he touched your boner.”

Harry smacked his head against the table and groaned. “Be a good friend and set me on fire.”

The radio filled the silence that grew between the pair.

Ginny’s shoulders began to shake, which made the table rattle. Harry turned his head to the side to see that she had covered her mouth with her hand. He watched her half-hearted attempt to stop the laugher from roaring out of her.

Harry began to whine. “It’s not fucking funny Gin I feel like I’m gonna vomit and cry.”

This of course made Ginny laugh harder. So hard in fact, that her face went pink. Harry waited for her laughter to simmer down into scattered chuckles and lifted his head from the table as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

“You done?”

A few more chuckles escaped from the witch. “I’m done… Okay now I’m done…”

Harry pouted and ran his hands up through his hair, away from his face. He rested his elbows on the table and hid his burning face in his hands. “What do I do, Gin?”

“Okay… Well first thing first, you really need to start dating people again if a healer examination makes you wanna cum-“

“Actual advice please Ginevra.”

“You gotta talk to him.”

Harry pulled his hands away from his face to scowl at the witch. “That’s all you’ve got? The git won’t even touch me with a ten-foot pole now.” Harry’s pout deepened as he took a swig of his tea.

“Your ribs aren’t near your crotch Harry.”

Harry coughed and spluttered. “Pardon?”

“Malfoy put his hands that low because he wanted to. To be honest it sounds like he’s been enjoying those examinations almost as much as you have. I mean come on, Hazza. There are plenty of charms that would carry out those examinations without physical touch. Why would he use one that required touching? Why would he use that exact spell, in your house alone with you?”

“You should have seen the look of horror on his face Gin when he realised I was hard. He couldn’t leave the room fast enough.”

Ginny’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. Harry gulped.

“Were his pupils big?”

“Yeah but that’s only because of how wide his eyes were-“

“Was his mouth hanging open?”

Harry huffed hard. “Yes Gin he was embarrassed-“

“It sounds like he was flustered and lost control.”

“What control-“

“I agree with my girlfriend. Draco wants to shag you, Potter.”

Harry’s head snapped round to see Blaise Zabini stood in the archway.

_What is it with Slytherin’s and silently entering a room?_

“I’ve had a really long, _gruelling_ day at work today Potter and even _I_ can piece together from this tragic snippet of conversation that Draco touched your cock, _accidentally-on-purpose_ because he has the hots for you.”

“Then why did he leave?”

“Because he realised that you wanted him back. And that scared him.”

Blaise walked over and placed a soft kiss on Ginny’s temple which made her smile. He stood on the opposite side of the table to Harry and gripped the two edges of the table of the small table in front of him as he leant forward. “If you want him Potter, you need to _act_ on it instead of acting like a lovesick puppy. Honestly, it made me feel a little nauseous watching you _pine_ like that.”

Harry closed his eyes and sighed. Truth be told, he felt exhausted. A headache was beginning to form behind his eyes. “I should be heading off now.”

He got up and said his goodbyes to Blaise and Ginny.

“Don’t forget what I told you Potter.”

“Take care of yourself Harry.”

Harry threw floo powder into the fireplace and stepped inside. He watched Ginny’s living room spin until it disappeared, and his own living room appeared in its place.

The headache behind Harry’s eyes grew as he stepped back into his living room. Everything was how he had left it. The soft smell of cinnamon filled his lungs as he took a deep breath to centre himself again.

*****

Harry tried his best to continue with his day. He showered, but he couldn’t bring himself to wank. Every time Harry closed his eyes and saw Malfoy on his knees, the self-disgust he felt overpowered his arousal. He tried cracking on with paperwork, but his mind refused to focus on the words in front of him. The most productive thing that he did was charm a consent form into an origami crane. But even the crane fluttered out of the room and left him.

“A guest be here for you, Masters.” Kreacher stood in the doorway of Harry’s office. He knocked on the open door after he had spoken. Harry had previously tried to teach Kreacher to knock if Harry was in his office working, but either the house elf couldn’t quite get the hang of what Harry meant, or he did this to Harry on purpose.

“Who is it Kreacher?”

“The most ancient and most noble, yes… Good, clean blood yes… Come now please Masters.”

Harry furrowed his brow in confusion before getting up and following his senile house elf down the stairs. _What was the life expectancy for a house elf?_ _Kreacher didn’t have many marbles left to lose from the sounds of things._

Kreacher led Harry to the bottom floor. As Harry walked down the hallway, Kreacher opened the living room door and bowed so low that his nose brushed the floor.

Harry couldn’t see who was inside the room yet, but something in his brain clicked as he observed Kreacher’s behaviour.

_Kreacher believes pure blood to be clean. The only other time Harry had seen the house elf bow that low was the other day when…_

_Oh sweet Merlin._

Harry entered the room to see Draco Malfoy stood in front of the fire, reading a clipboard that he was holding in his hands. He was wearing his normal muggle attire, consisting of a burgundy jumper and black tailored trousers.

Harry stared at the man, who acted like he had not even noticed that Harry had entered the room. “Where are your robes?”

“I’m not on shift.” Malfoy refused to look up from the clipboard. “Where were you?”

“What do you mean? I was just upstairs- “

“Earlier today, Potter.” Malfoy’s spoke through slightly gritted teeth. To the normal eye, Harry surmised that Malfoy was the picture of composure and professionalism. Though it appeared Harry had been given a looking glass that allowed him to see beyond the illusion. Malfoy was nervous. He could tell by the flush that rested on the back of Malfoy’s neck, almost completely hidden by his jumper. His eyes were focused on the clipboard, but they were not moving, he was just staring at it. _Was he trying to look busy, like he had a reason to be here?_

“After you left, I went to see Ginny.” Harry clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides. The nerves that rolled through him were immense.

“It is part of the conditions of home treatment, _that you stay at home_.”

“How did you know that I had left?”

The question echoed in the room and Malfoy became even more stiff. The man was a ticking time bomb.

Unable to stop himself, Harry started to close the distance between them. “You came back here didn’t you when I was gone? Were you still on shift then, or was it a personal call?”

Malfoy was clenching his jaw so hard that Harry feared his teeth would smash. Malfoy didn’t attempt to create more distance as Harry approached him, however. “I came here to tell you that it’s against the conditions of your home visits that you leave your home.”

“I suppose it’s also against the conditions to get a hard on over my healer, but here we are.” Harry was stood directly in front of Malfoy, so close that their noses were nearly touching. Feeling petty, Harry smacked the clipboard out of Malfoy’s hands. It bounced off the corner of the table before hitting the floor.

Malfoy raised his face and Harry saw the crazed tempest that roared within his eyes.

Whatever piece of sanity that held Draco back snapped. He grabbed Harry by the t-shirt. His hands were balled up into fists against Harry’s collarbones. “You think this is fucking funny, do you?”

Harry attempted to push Malfoy off, but this only made the man grip him harder. “I knew it was an act. You’re a fake.” A delirious laugh escaped Harry’s chest as he pushed Malfoy back again. Malfoy’s grip loosened momentarily, but he tightened it again, pulling Harry along with him as Harry continued to push him back. “You act like you’re so high and mighty. Like nothing gets to you. I knew you were faking it. You’re a fucking liar _and_ a fake.”

Harry pushed him again. Hard. Malfoy audibly growled as he yanked Harry violently towards him. “ _I act high and mighty?!_ Coming from the _Saviour_ of the wizarding world himself. You are so full of shit Potter, the toilet is jealous. Do me a favour and jump from the roof.”

A fire roared in Malfoy’s eyes that Harry hadn’t seen in many, _many_ years. Harry almost smiled. “There he is. The cold hearted, _miserable_ prick who picks fights with people and stamps on their noses because his _daddy_ would rather snog Voldemort than give his only son a hug.”

Harry slammed Malfoy’s back against the wall, but the man didn’t even flinch. He snarled at Harry like a caged animal, his ragged breath hot against Harry’s face. He pulled Harry so close that his mouth brushed against Harry’s as he spoke. “Everyone looks at you like you’re a God, but I see you for exactly who you are.”

Unable to stop himself, Harry pressed his mouth hard against Draco’s. Draco’s lips were wet and plump as Harry moved his mouth hard enough against his lips to bruise them. Draco bit down hard on Harry’s bottom lip, trapping it between his teeth. “I fucking hate you.” He released Harry’s lip and trailed his tongue across the metallic tasting indents from his teeth.

A strangled moan came from Harry’s throat as he curled his fingers to cup Malfoy’s face. His thumbs rested beneath Draco’s eye sockets, stroking his cheekbones softly as he deepened the kiss. “No, you don’t.” A long whine escaped Draco’s lips as Harry caught his tongue and sucked on it harshly, bobbing his head as he did so.

The hunger that roared inside Harry was insatiable.

Malfoy shoved Harry hard. Harry drank in his dishevelled appearance as he stumbled back a few steps. His pupils were completely blown out from lust, with only a faint band of grey circling them. His cheeks were pink, and his lips were red and swollen. He looked vampiric and dangerous. They stayed like that for a moment, staring at each other whilst taking in deep breaths. The electricity between them crackled around the room. Harry’s cock was hard and leaking in his pants. He broke the eye contact to see that Malfoy’s cock was straining against his trousers too.

A smirk broke across Harry’s face before he could stop it. The man before him was stood on a knifes edge, and all Harry had to do was push. “What you gonna do Malfoy? Run away again? That’s what you do best isn’t it?”

 _This did exactly what Harry was expecting._ A fury broke across Draco’s face. The man clicked his fingers which wordlessly _and_ wandlessly sent a spell hurdling towards Harry’s chest. Harry braced himself for pain as the spell hit its mark, but felt the opposite.

 _He knew this spell. His ribs felt like they had been replaced with pillows_.

Before he could question why, Malfoy had shoved Harry so hard that he toppled back over the arm of the sofa and landed onto the sofa on his back. Within an instant, Draco was straddling Harry’s hips with his hands wrapped around Harry’s throat. 

“What do you want, Potter? To humiliate me? To make me lose by job?”

Harry groaned as he felt Malfoy’s teeth against his neck, biting on a tendon, just below where his hands were. Harry bucked his hips and felt Draco’s erection strain against his own. Draco hissed and moved his hands to tangle his fingers within Harry’s hair. Harry continued to rock his hips against Draco’s, loving the burning white pleasure that spread throughout his body. Draco whined and pushed back against Harry, frotting against him senselessly. Harry gripped Malfoy’s hips hard and moved Draco’s hips back and forth to control his rhythm. Harry was completely overwhelmed by pleasure. His mouth was agape slightly he felt soft lips move eagerly against his own, and he moaned into Malfoy’s mouth as he kissed back. “F-Fuck I’m close I’m gonna-“

Draco kissed Harry frantically, whining against his mouth. “Don’t stop don’t you fucking sto-“Draco’s words became strangled as a deep moan escaped from him. Harry opened his eyes to see Draco’s eyes beginning to roll back as his hips jerked frantically against Harry’s, riding an orgasm.

That was all he needed to see. Harry’s eyes squeezed shut and he was seeing stars as the most intense orgasm of his life crashed over him like a strong wave. He came over and over as Malfoy’s hips rolled irrhythmically against his own before Malfoy gradually came to a stop.

Draco stared down at Harry, panting hard. He looked like a vulnerable stray animal that would bolt if Harry moved too quickly. Harry rubbed his thumbs in soft circles against Malfoy’s hips.

“Don’t go. Please.”

-TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you things were starting to heat up ;)  
> This story is no where near done yet, I'm having wayyy to much fun ;)
> 
> Btw the song that Ginny was playing in her kitchen was 'We Could Be' by Hunna (I really love this song, so give it a listen if you want)
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! My last 2 exams are this week so please forgive me if its takes over a week for the next update! (Guess you'll just need to bookmark this story ;) )  
> Please Please PLEASE let me know what you guys think of the story so far, I'm so grateful for all your comments and feedback so far <3
> 
> Follow my tumblr @sleepdeprivedravenclaw


	8. Chapter 8

The sound of metal cutlery scrapping across porcelain dinner plates filled the awkward silence in the room. Harry cut into his chicken breast and popped a piece into his mouth as he studied the blonde man who was sitting on the opposite end of the table to himself. Malfoy was the embodiment of awkwardness. His shoulders were hunched forward, and his gaze was unmoving from the plate before him. Harry watched as the man nudged his food around his plate with his fork.

Harry couldn’t blame him for acting this way. Not really. Just over an hour ago they had both told the other to practically drop dead whilst violently snogging. Malfoy had every right to look as sullen and awkward as he does.

Harry’s heart sank to his stomach.

It had felt amazing to see life behind Draco’s eyes again. The last time Harry had seen that flame in his eyes was during Hogwarts, when Harry had raced Draco to grab the snitch. He would never forget the determined focus on Malfoy’s face as his fingers reached forward to grab the flying golden ball. The way his hair was thoroughly windswept, and the way the cold air tainted his cheekbones pink. Truth be told, during 6th year Harry missed that flame so much that he became obsessed with finding it again. Malfoy had become a sullen shell of his former self. His eyes had dimmed to match concrete, and Harry had to know the reason why. This obsessed curiosity to find that fire led to a dangerous game of cat and mouse between the two young boys; a game that ended with Harry cornering Malfoy in the girls toilets on the second floor of Hogwarts, and with too much blood soaking the soles of Harry’s trainers…

“You’re doing it again.”

Harry’s shook out the image of blood pouring down a shower drain and looked up to see Malfoy staring directly at him. Malfoy had pushed his plate forward to signal he was done with the meal, though the chicken and vegetables on the plate had barely been touched. His hands were clasped in front of him, and his posture has returned rigidly straight. “Doing what?”

“You daydream a lot. You were just staring at the table, but your eyes were foggy.”

Harry cleared his throat, pushed his plate forward and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Your mind went dark, didn’t it?” The softness of Draco’s tone took Harry by surprise, and his eyes immediately darted towards the man. He watched as Draco fidgeted with his fingers and chewed on the inside of his cheek.

Seeing Draco being vulnerable cracked Harry’s chest open and allowed a searing warmth to spread across its cracks. All Harry could do was nod. The nod began cautiously but quickened as Harry drew a deep breath. “Yeah. Yeah it went dark.”

This time it was Draco’s turn to nod, and the room became silent again.

Taking this as a cue, Harry pulled himself out of his chair and collected their plates. He stood next to Draco, and stacked Draco’s practically full plate on top of his own and placed their cutlery on top. Harry turned his head to the side slightly to look as Malfoy’s face, but Malfoy had turned his face away from Harry. The soft lighting caught the corner of Malfoy’s sharp jaw and his chin, casting a dark shadow beneath them. Harry tore his eyes away and carried their plates into the kitchen. He placed the plates down onto the counter. He would deal with them later. He hesitated for a moment before quickly taking a bottle of wine out of the fridge and two wine glasses from the cabinet nearest the pantry. He held the bottle in one hand and the two glasses by the stems in the other and hurried back into the dining room before he lost his nerve.

“Look I don’t know if you’re a drinker but-“

Harry entered the room to see that Malfoy’s chair was pushed away from the table and empty.

He was gone.

******

“Your fever isn’t as high this morning.” Eliza dabbed Harry’s forehead softly with the damp cloth. A few stray droplets fell down his flushed face and dangled from his jaw. “A couple more days and your daily treatments will be complete! Isn’t that exciting?”

Harry could hear Eliza’s smile within her voice, but this only made his heart sink lower within his chest cavity. “Delightful.”

“Has _Bad Faith_ told you about the next stages of your recovery process?”

Harry remembered Malfoy’s snarling face and the way his hands were wrapped tightly around his neck. _“What do you want, Potter? To humiliate me? To make me lose by job?”_ The image of Malfoy’s snarling face morphed into a vulnerable expression. Draco was panting hard, wide eyed and scared as Harry rubbed small, reassuring circles on his hip bones _. “Don’t go. Please.”_ He had begged.

“No. He hasn’t.”

Eliza removed the cloth from Harry’s face and placed it into the bowl of water. “Oh, he’s normally very efficient in keeping patient’s up to date with their progress, maybe he was saving the news for today.”

The thought of seeing Malfoy again today made a huge lump appear in Harry’s throat. Last night was different. Malfoy had chosen to visit Harry outside of work last night. It would be impossible to separate his poised healer from the ticking time bomb that he had dinner with last night. Who snogged him senselessly against his sofa cushions last night.

_Who left him without saying goodbye, last night._

“How well do you know Malfoy, Eliza?”

This question made the young witch pause. She stopped in the middle of pulling a cork out of a tonic potion and blinked at Harry. “Well, if I had to summarise that man…I would say he was an island surrounded by a vast sea… Seemingly untouchable, and distant. However, on that island is a lighthouse, which shines a light against the dark sea to guide people to its borders. To understand and get close to that man, all you need to do is follow the light, but you need to be willing to look for it.”

Harry’s faced cracked. He let out a disbelieving laugh, awe struck at Eliza. He rubbed his face with his hands before reaching for his glasses on his nightstand. As he put on his glasses, he could now see that the witch was sporting a pensive expression. Harry playfully shook his head. “You’re such a Ravenclaw.”

Eliza laughed and sat down on the edge of Harry’s bed. She placed a comforting hand on Harry leg and regarded him with a soft smile. As she tilted her head thoughtfully, her loosely tied up waves dangled around her ear and swayed with her head movement. She offered Harry the potion with her free hand, and he took a short swig. The taste of liquorice bubbled on his tongue. “When I was younger, I always had thought that I see people for who they are. But when I first met _Bad Faith_ , I judged him based on what I had heard; I thought that the hospital had hired a Death Eater who would put blood purity before saving lives.” Eliza’s bottom lip trembled lightly, but she steadied herself by drawing a slow breath. Harry reached for her hand and squeezed it. “He was quiet, and didn’t speak to us medical staff, so I had my guard up about him. I remember there was an old witch, a muggleborn, who was dying of age-related complications about two years ago… Her family had paid a lot of money to grant her a private room, so she could pass away peacefully. Alone. I noticed _Bad Faith_ would spend hours in there, so I became increasingly concerned. I thought he would harm her. I-I…One day I noticed after he entered the room, he left the door slightly ajar. I peaked through the gap and I will never forget what I saw. He was holding one of her hands in both of his and his palms were glowing white. I couldn’t hear the spell from the distance, but I knew that it was kind. It’s difficult to explain but different spells have different scents and well… This one smelt like freshly washed cotton. The old witch was smiling in her sleep. She seemed to be at peace. I knew from that moment on I had to give him a chance. He worked extra hours to ensure his patients, regardless of their blood, were happy; a sign of a remarkable healer, and of a man who deserves redemption.”

Harry took a moment to process Eliza’s story. It all made sense.

“ _We have family that isn’t blood, and blood that isn’t family, Potter.”_

“I know that you have a complicated past. I was in the year below you in Hogwarts, I remember your rivalry. He is different now, Harry.”

Harry thought again of the man who sat across from him at his dining room table that previous night. _“Your mind went dark, didn’t it?”_ That vulnerable side, that was Draco. The boy who cried helplessly as he pointed his wand at Dumbledore’s chest on top of the Astronomy tower. Draco was the ticking time bomb that stood waiting for Harry in his living room. Draco was the one that shook with fear after realising what he and Harry had done on the sofa. It was Draco that fled last night when Harry gave him a chance to. 

Draco was different to Malfoy. Malfoy is the cold, heartless bastard who stamped on Harry’s nose in 6th year. He is callous, cruel, and vain. Malfoy is emotionless and purely analytical. Malfoy is ambitious and twisted; distant and untouchable.

Draco begged to be touched.

Malfoy hates him.

_Does Draco?_

“He isn’t different, Eliza. Draco has always been this way.”

Harry thought again of the lonely island lost at sea. He thought of the lighthouse and found himself encased within its light.

*****

Before Harry knew it, it was midday. His healer would be here any minute and Harry tried his best not to be nervous. He brushed his hands down the front of his shirt to stretch out any of the creases in the thin cotton material and took a couple of deep breathes.

_It’s the same old ferret face, breathe…_

Harry had already prepared a pot of peppermint tea which sat brewing on his living room table with a spare mug sat next to the pot. He sat on the edge of his sofa and grabbed his own mug of earl grey tea. He blew against the rim of the cup before taking a short sip. The mixture of bitterness and citrus mixed on his tongue, washing away the remnants of liquorice.

After last night Harry wasn’t sure how to convince Malfoy to give him some more of that chocolate. Would it be impolite to ask for some?

Harry jolted as the floo roared to life. His healer stepped gracefully out of the flames and continued with his normal routine of removing his robes and placing them on the edge of the table. As he placed down the robes, he eyed the pot of tea.

“I made tea.”

Malfoy blinked. “Yes, I can see that.”

“It’s peppermint.”

“Yes, I can smell that.”

Harry swallowed uncomfortably. He knew it would be awkward, but this felt ten times worse than he imagined. He placed his mug down onto the table and fidgeted with the edges of the cushion he was sitting on. “About last night-“

“I am here as a professional, Potter.”

“But-“

A wandless _silencio_ charm casted by Malfoy caused Harry to choke on his unfinished sentence. Malfoy perched on the arm of Harry’s sofa and reviewed his chart. Harry frowned and frantically tried to shout at Malfoy for being an utter prick. After a moment, Malfoy put down Harry’s chart and casted a _finite_ spell.

The words “ _Stupid arrogant tosser_ ” rolled out of Harry’s mouth before he realised his words were hearable again.

A smirk curled on the corner of Malfoy’s lips as Harry’s eyes widened in embarrassment. “You have such a way with words, Potter.”

“If you didn’t take my voice away, I would have chosen different ones.”

“This phase of treatment is coming to an end.” The playful nature that Malfoy used moments ago was completely gone and was replaced with stone cold professionalism.

_Why did his voice sound so final?_

Harry shifted in his seat and moved closer to Malfoy. As Harry got closer, Malfoy got up and sat in the armchair next to the floo.

Trying not to feel hurt, Harry clenched his teeth. “What’s the next phase?”

Malfoy didn’t say anything. He stared at the floor in front of him, before focusing his stern gaze back onto Harry. Harry watched the man steady himself with a deep breath. “It means you don’t need me anymore. You’re not going back to work - before your Auror heart gets too many ideas. But what it does mean, is that I am not needed here anymore.”

A mixture of emotions spread throughout Harry’s body with such force and intensity that he had gotten whiplash. “No. No you don’t get to fucking do this.”

“This is a good thing. Your body is almost healed, and Eliza will continue to check on you daily, but my services are no longer required here. Pragmatically speaking, it makes little sense to check the rate of bone growth when all your bones have grown back. What you essentially have now are rib fractures, which a medi-nurse is more than capable to deal with.”

Hot tears threatened to cloud Harry’s vision as he gritted his teeth harder.

_Why the fuck am I so upset?_

His voice came out much quieter than intended. “You didn’t even check.”

Malfoy swallowed and wetted his lips. Harry glared at the man in a way that he hoped was threatening. Perhaps the intended look would have worked if Harry’s eyes weren’t so wet and if his lip wasn’t trembling.

Malfoy walked over and lowered himself slowly onto his knees in front of Harry. Harry refused to meet the man’s gaze, turning his face away from Malfoy. He saw those grey eyes studying him in his peripheral vision, and he wished more than anything that they weren’t the most striking colour he had seen.

Malfoy’s hands snaked slowly under the hem of Harry’s shirt. Harry felt his face heat up as he turned his face even harder away from Malfoy. Those cold hands trailed slowly up Harry’s sides, until they reached Harry’s ribs. They didn’t move. Malfoy just held Harry like that.

Unable to stop himself, Harry reached forward and pulled Draco into a tight hug. He linked his arms around Malfoy’s shoulders and rested his forehead against the crook of Draco’s neck. The hot tears spilled against Draco’s bare skin, and as the tears came out harder Harry tugged Draco in closer. The scent of firewood and pine flooded Harry’s nose from Malfoy’s aftershave. “You’re running away again.”

“You need this Harry.” Draco’s voice cracked and sounded almost as quiet as Harry’s. “You need distance.”

Harry’s mind was racing so fast he couldn’t consciously keep up with his thoughts. “You’re an island. You’re an island with a lighthouse. And you make really nice chocolate. Don’t leave me again, I need this, I need you.”

Malfoy pulled away, and Harry saw a small wet patch on his jumper above his collarbone, undoubtedly left by Harry. Malfoy’s face was hard and empty. He stood up and went to fetch his robes. “You’ve been through a traumatic experience. You got hit with a curse and you are feeling emotional and out of sorts. I can contact someone in the hospital for mind healer sessions if you need them.”

“I’m not traumatised Draco. You’ve got a lighthouse and I can see the light and I think I’m in lov-“

“That is ENOUGH, Potter.”

Malfoy faced Harry with his fists clenched at his sides. His robes hung at his waist, tightly held within one of his fists. “If you have any further enquiries, do get in touch with the hospital.”

Harry’s mind was racing. “I know about the old woman!” He cried out desperately. “The muggleborn witch that you watched over on her deathbed.”

Malfoy paused. He was just about to enter the floo; his back was facing Harry. The brunette watched eagerly as a dark heat spread across the nape of Malfoy’s neck as he turned his head slightly to look at Harry from the corner of his eye. “Her name was Maggie.”

Malfoy left no room for further conversation as he disappeared in a burst of green flames.

A couple of hours later, an owl greeted Harry at his office window. It carried a letter of agreement for Harry’s next phase of treatment that he had to sign, and a small bar of chocolate wrapped in white packaging.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooof this was a sad one :(  
> This chapter needed emotional depth to try and emphasise how complicated their relationship is. They have such a rich dynamic and history that it is such an honour to explore that on this journey with you guys <3
> 
> I'm sorry for the delay in between uploading! My 2nd year Uni exams ended this time last week and I just needed time to unwind and start afresh~  
> I'll try and be more consistent, but you're just gonna have to bookmark this story ;)
> 
> Please let me know what you think of this story! Your comments and feedback mean the world to me, and honestly comments make me feel more encouraged to continue with this story and update quicker!   
> Thank you so much for nearly 3K hits, that number to me is absolutely crazy, and I am so so grateful to every one who has read this story so far, and also to those who have left kudos and comments <3
> 
> This story is FAR from over, so don't you panic, take care my loves <3
> 
> Follow my tumblr @sleepdeprivedravenclaw


	9. Chapter 9

The next few days came and went in a blur. Eliza continued with her regular check-ups, providing Harry with countless small remedies and potions to heal his remaining rib fractures. During their moments together, she continually tried to engage Harry in several conversation topics such as: whether Harry believed magic to be a faction of art or science, why the sky seemed more blue a few days before a thunderstorm, and even why Eliza believed handmade cookies tasted better than those made with magic.

 _‘Magic and butter don’t mix’_ she had said.

Harry appreciated her efforts and tried to smile, nod and laugh in the right places, but his mind was always somewhere else.

All he could think about was the way Malfoy had left. It was more than a healer ending his patient’s treatment.

_Draco had said goodbye. He wasn’t coming back._

Harry felt ridiculous for his heartache. It felt stupid to be mourning over the loss of someone who was very much alive, and to miss someone whose company only confused you.

Draco was an exposed wire, electric and alive and buzzing with activity. He was dangerous and uncontainable. Harry yearned to touch him again and be completely undone by the wild energy that would collide into him.

But Draco didn’t want Harry to touch him. _He had made that abundantly clear._

Harry’s heart clenched with another wave of grief that made him want to shatter everything around him, himself included.

As more days passed, Eliza’s attempts at conversation began to wither away. On the fifth day, her attempts had stopped altogether. At the end of her visit, she packed away the plethora of vials and tonics back into her hospital bag, but she didn’t head towards the exit with a kind farewell as she normally did. Instead, she simply sat on the edge of Harry’s bed next to him. Scared as if Harry would disintegrate, she carefully placed a comforting hand on the blanket that was rested on Harry’s knee. She rubbed her thumb against the blanket in a nurturing manner in a way that reminded Harry of Molly. “I know it hurts, but it won’t feel like this forever.”

Harry knew her words were purposely ambiguous; whether she was referring to his treatment or his bitterly confusing heartbreak was unclear. 

_Bloody Ravenclaw._

Harry allowed one shallow laugh to escape him before his mind raced back to that night with Draco once more, and his heart was once again swallowed by grief. “Her name was Maggie, Eliza.”

********

Every evening Harry sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace and waited. He waited for things to make sense again. He waited for the dull thud in his chest to stop. He waited for a tall blonde git to waltz back into the room and make everything feel normal again.

Harry sat there for countless hours for what seemed like countless days.

He waited for nothing, and nothing arrived.

The softly hazed comfort that firewhiskey provided would eventually lull him into a dreamless sleep, where he would dream of nothing but of crimson hot palms running down his chest, and the snuffed-out embers inside him would roar back to life and engulf him in flames.

This evening was different, however. Harry had assumed his regular position on his sofa, when his floo roared into life. Sitting up eagerly, Harry watched with wide eyes as a silhouette began to form out of the green flames. His breath caught in his throat.

His brain swirled at 100 miles an hour.

_As if that blonde headed git thinks he can just stroll back in here and make everything okay again. I’ll beat the shit out of him-_

_I’ll shag him._

_I’ll beat the shit out of him after I shag him._

These thoughts came to an abrupt holt and were quickly replaced with bitter tasting disappointment. “Oh… Hey Gin.”

Ginny stepped out of the fireplace, coughing dramatically as she breathed in the leftover soot that floated in the air. She fanned the soot particles away from her face with a grimace. “Nice to see you too, sad sack.” Her windswept hair was tied into a high ponytail, and she wore comfortable looking grey sweatpants, a navy tank top and a fashionable, long woollen cardigan. Judging by her appearance, she had gotten home from quidditch practise, changed her clothes and then came straight here.

_Whatever she was here for, she had a purpose._

Harry tucked his legs up to his chest and rested his chin upon his knees. He eyed Ginny like a sulking child, suddenly embarrassed that she caught him looking sad and _obviously_ pathetic. “I’m not a sad sack.” He mumbled quietly.

Ginny tutted as she _accio’d_ a bottle of water from Harry’s fridge with her hand outstretched to the side. The moment the bottle was in her hand she immediately unscrewed the lid and took large gulps, clearing out her throat. She gave a relieved sigh before screwing the lid back on and placing the bottle, which sagged slightly to the side because of her vice-like grip, onto the table. “Yeah right, and I’m the queen of Egypt, _sad sack_.”

“You better have shut the fridge door.”

“Maybe you should lift your sad arse up and check.”

Harry and Ginny stared at each other for several moments, both frozen into place. It was a battle of wills to see who would crack first. Ginny stood in front of the fire with her hands placed on her hips and her eyebrows raised in challenge. Her brown puppy dog eyes were strong and determined, too much like her mother. Harry lifted his chin defiantly as he glared back at her. His brow was furrowed as he drew his knees even tighter to his chest. Their scowls at each other became more intense.

Ginny began to clench her jaw as Harry clenched his.

Ginny’s face began to change colour, transitioning into a crimson purple.

_She’s gonna bloody explode._

**“If that arse doesn’t get off that sofa in the next 5 seconds, I will shove a broom up there so deep and so violently you will look like a walking shish kebab do I make myself bloody clear?!”**

Fearing for the safety of his arse, Harry admitted defeat and hastily jumped up to his feet. He groaned moodily at Ginny and glared even harder at her. He ran his hands back through his dishevelled hair and began pacing the room. “For fucks sake what do you want Gin?!”

“For you to snap out of this weird broody behaviour and sort this bloody mess out.”

Harry stopped pacing and leant his back against the wall by the living room door with a hard thud. “What are you on about?”

This time it was Ginny’s turn to groan. She rubbed her face impatiently with her hands before folding her arms across her chest. “I’ve shacked up with the biggest gossiping Slytherin that has ever graced Hogwarts. You think I wouldn’t find out that some weird shit went down between you and Draco nearly a week ago so now you’re both acting like forbidden lovers in a Shakespeare play?”

Harry blinked.

_In order for Zabini to know about Draco cutting Harry off… That meant…_

“Draco’s been talking about me?” His heart leapt into his throat, pounding hard against his adams’ apple.

Ginny snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yes Hazza, Draco has been writing poems about you, and telling Blaise how he wants to braid your curly mop.”

Harry furrowed his brow again, swallowing his heart back down into his stomach. “I wouldn’t mind someone braiding my hair.”

Ginny’s expression softened as she let out a long sigh. She uncrossed her arms and made her way over to Harry. “You need some fresh air. Come on, walk and talk with me.”

Within ten minutes Harry had gone upstairs, changed into a pair of black sweatpants and a dark green hoody and left his house with Ginny. She waited for him at the end of the garden path as he locked his front door, before making his way down the steps towards her. Truth be told, feeling the late autumn breeze against his skin felt amazing. The evening air was damp as a consequence of the afternoon rain, which Harry could smell within the air. Leaves scuttled across the ground by their feet as they began to make their way down the street. They walked to a small, family owned coffee-shop a few streets away under Ginny’s guidance, where she bought them both an Americano before leading Harry to the local park. The streetlights were beginning to light up as they entered through the park gates, which illuminated the tall, marble fountain that stood as the park’s centrepiece upon miles and miles of greenery and nature. They walked down a cobblestone path, leading them closer to the fountain, close enough so Harry was able to faintly hear the sound of the trickling water.

The silence between them was comfortable, but it was Ginny that broke it first.

“Draco hasn’t talked to Blaise about you… But that’s kinda the point.”

A fresh wave of bitterness rolled through Harry, so much that he felt the corner of his lip curl into a snarl. He sipped his coffee to swallow that feeling, resulting in a burnt tongue. “Gee, that’s fucking fantastic. What’s your point here Gin? I made a bad fucking decision trying to jump him after I left your place?”

They had reached the fountain and Ginny sat down on the iron bench in front of it. She took a sip of her drink and temporarily looked lost in thought as she stared into the water. Harry clenched his jaw and sat next to her, taking another sip.

“No Harry… Right. Blaise said this so much more eloquently than I think I can, but just bare with me and fill in the gaps when you can. Draco and you have… A long history to say the bloody least. Um, when you first became his patient, he would tell Blaise everything. Like it was ridiculous.” Her voice went high in mocking mimicry. “ _Did you know that Potter doesn’t like cereal for breakfast, he’ll only ask for toast? Did you know that Potter is a really light sleeper? Did you know that Potter…”_ Ginny shook her head, forgetting the rest of the examples Blaise had used. “He… Oh fuck it you get the point.”

“I’m not sure I do-“

“Either way” Ginny spoke over Harry. “Draco talked about you all the time. You know, squeezing it into conversation when Blaise met him for lunch or whatever. But this past week, Blaise says Draco has rarely left his ward. He’s quiet and irritable and doesn’t mention you at all.” Ginny laughed before suddenly turning to look at Harry with an exaggeratedly serious expression. “He stabbed the lettuce leaf of his salad eight times Harry during his lunch with Blaise on Tuesday…”

They both laughed. Ginny impersonated a brutal downwards stabbing motion, grunting violently each time she thrusted down her arm, which made Harry laugh harder than he had in a long time. A weight bubbled out of his chest as he scrunched up his nose as the laugher kept on coming.

Ginny’s giggles began to die down as she looked at Harry again. She watched Harry laugh fondly, a gleam sitting within her eye. “Draco has lost the plot Hazza. You’ve scrambled his brain like a bowl of eggs.”

The joyous moment cracked back into reality, and Harry didn’t feel like laughing anymore. “He doesn’t want me Gin. He made that perfectly clear.” Harry felt hot tears brim his eyes again, and he shook them away. “Maybe I read the signs wrong, I… I just… Have grown so attached in such a short period of time, I’m probably just horny and confused.” Harry sipped his drink again, letting his words linger in the air.

“You most definitely are horny there’s no denying that.” Ginny agreed unphased as she sipped her coffee.

Harry snorted and pressed his lips against the warm lip of the cup.

“Harry… Do you want this? Do you want something with him?”

A frustrated sigh escaped from Harry. He closed his eyes and began to dismiss Ginny. “Gin I literally just said he doesn’t want me.”

“I didn’t ask you what blondie said did I you prat? Do you want him?”

Harry watched the water trickle down towards the bottom of the fountain. “Yes.”

“Then why aren’t you fighting?”

The water ripped and churned.

“You’ve never been the one to sit and do nothing. If fate draws you a hand you don’t like, you rip up those cards and flip the bloody table. You’re Harry Potter, defeater of Dark Lords, you grab life by the bloody balls-“

“Fucking hell-“

“Okay I went a little bit too far, but you get the gist.”

They both laughed again as Harry playfully shoved her shoulder. Ginny responded by shoving him back before rested her cheek on his shoulder. “What I mean… Is that some people are worth fighting for, don’t you think?”

The imagine of a vacant island lost at sea reappeared within Harry’s mind. He saw dark waves crashing against the rocks on its coast, barely visible within the moonlight. Harry focused hard upon this image, until he could see the stem of the lighthouse, nestled upon a high rock. Its light circled around, breaking the darkness against the sea and flooding the spaces it touched with blinding light. Harry felt the light hit him and he was suddenly warm all over.

“You’re right Gin. I’ve got to fight, and I know exactly how.”

Ginny beamed at Harry before wrapping him up in her arms in a tight hug, which Harry happily returned. “Hey Gin?”

“Hm?”

“How do you know about Shakespeare?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tadaaaa!! Just the kick up the arse that our lovely protagonist needed!!
> 
> I know I'm teasing you with this chapter, but the next chapter is already in the works so keep an eye out ;)
> 
> Thank you so much for your continued support with this fic, it honestly means the world to me, and makes me want to continue working on this and take you all on this journey with me <3
> 
> I love reading your comments and replying to you all! I hope you're all staying safe and healthy, much love <3
> 
> Follow my tumblr @Sleepdeprivedravenclaw


	10. Chapter 10

“Healer Malfoy, there’s a patient who requires treatment in Room 3.”

Draco looked up from the paperwork he had been reading over in the Medi-Nurses’ station. He ignored the dull throb of his headache as his strained eyes glared up at the young healer who were, to his knowledge, completing their first year of residency.

“Are your hands broken Jefferson? I have faith in your abilities to administer treatment within a room that is localised for the more minor injuries that we get on this ward. Have I put too much trust in you?” Draco hardened his glare for effect before looking back down at the papers stacked in front of him. He pretended to read as the words swirled on the page; the quill in Draco’s closed fist was bending from his vice-like grip.

“I-I mean I can do the treatment, but they specifically asked for you.”

The quill snapped.

_Oh for fucks sake._

Draco closed his eyes and sighed hard. He wiped his palms together to sprinkle the quill fragments onto the desk before vanishing them away. “If there isn’t a coffee on this desk by the time I get back Mr. Jefferson _you_ will be the next patient that gets admitted. Understood?

The Jr. Healer recoiled at Draco’s snappish tone and nodded feverishly. “Understood completely Healer Malfoy.”

Pushing his chair backwards Draco slowly began to stand himself up. He braced himself for a moment as the thunderous throbs in his brain ricocheted. He waited for the throbbing to subside slightly before he stepped out of the station. The young sandy haired healer scurried away in the direction of the canteen as Draco marched his way down the opposite corridor. He could barely hear the fast retreat of the other Healer over the sound of his grinding teeth.

_Bloody trainees. Bloody headache._

Draco grabbed his wand that was resting behind his left ear and muttered frustrations as he stormed his way down the corridor. He casted rapid-fire incantations on the doors that he passed to check the emergency vitals of patients that lay within those rooms, leaving a soft scent trial of cinnamon in his wake.

_Potter’s fault. Bloody Potter._

Draco swiftly meandered his way through the stream of Medi-Nurses with carts and the steady bustle of hospital staff that were coming in the opposite direction. He ground his teeth harder and rose his chin as he tried to avoid bumping into the opposite flow of people. Cinnamon scented charms were continuously fired as Draco sent an endless stream of mental curses into the universe, hoping they would manifest into petty misfortune that would ruin someone else’s day. _Preferably Potter’s day._ The numbers of the doors were slowly dwindling to where he needed to be.

_Teeth hurt._

_Room 17._

_Bloody Potter._

_Room 13._

_That coffee better be under a statis charm._

_Room 9._

_Not a basic statis charm though that makes it taste weird._

_Room 5._

Eliza stepped out of Room 3 and closed the door behind her. Their eyes met as they walked past one another and a momentary expression crossed her face that Draco couldn’t decipher. 

He could have sworn that she winked at him.

Draco stopped outside of Room 3 and placed his hand on the handle. The white blinds were drawn closed on the window next to the door, which Draco immediately thought was suspicious at this time of day.

 _Was this patient suffering with light sensitivity due to a retinal injury_? In hindsight, he should have questioned the young Healer about what injury this patient had, but he was just too fucking angry to even string two coherent thoughts together.

_Potter practically handed himself to me on a silver plate and I walked away from that._

Flashing images of green eyes hidden behind wire frames and sparkling teeth were accompanied by hearty laugher and broken sobs in such quick progression that Draco felt his knees buckle. The phantom feeling of hot kisses and teeth clipping against his neck and collarbones was replaced with the phantom weight of a head buried into his shoulder and the feeling of hot tears soaking into his shirt. Anger bubbled up inside him and consumed all other feelings as Draco dug his fingernails into the palms in his curled fists. He swallowed every unhelpful thought and emotion down into a dark place until the foamy taste of bile disappeared from the back of his throat.

_I am under my own control._

Taking a big gulp of air, Draco steadied himself before entering the room.

“Good afternoon. I haven’t had time to review your chart yet, so if you could tell me your symptoms that would be extremely helpful. I have made my own assumptions based on the conditions of the blinds. Are you suffering from retinal dysfunction?”

“I wear glasses dipshit of course my eyes are dysfunctional.”

_That voice._

Every thought and emotion Draco had swallowed in the previous moment was suddenly regurgitated as Draco stared at his _surprise_ patient. Despite the emotional car crash that Draco was suffering from, his face remained calm and poised, like the gentle ebbing of water that hides the riptide underneath.

“Potter.”

********

Harry was sat in the edge of his seat, twiddling his thumbs in his lap. The room was fairly dark so it had taken a moment at first for his eyes to adjust when he was ushered in here by Eliza.

_“The room is for minor injuries so patients who need overnight treatments aren’t brought in here. I’ve checked and there are no patients being treated in there at the moment. Go inside and Liam will find 'Bad Faith’ and tell him that you want him as your healer.”_

Judging by how the targeted grumpy git was standing in the doorway of the room, Harry could gather that the plan had worked. He smiled softly and lifted his hand to wave but stopped himself before he could, opting instead to awkwardly return his hand back to his lap.

“Hey.” Harry winced at his own social awkwardness.

_He hadn’t seen this git in over a week and the other thing he could muster out of his mouth was ‘hey?’_

Malfoy folded his arms over his chest and leant back against the closed door. He looked unnervingly calm. Harry gulped. “What are you doing here Potter? I’m working.”

“Well I’m injured.” Harry gestured to a red mark smeared lightly across his right temple.

Malfoy scowled and examined the red mark with narrowed eyes, leaning forward in his stance. “Is that ketchup?”

Harry’s face broke out into a playful grin before letting out a dramatic gasp. “Ketchup?! No no Malfoy this is blood.”

Harry saw a muscle in the corner of Draco’s mouth twitch before he wetted his lips and regained himself. “Blood isn’t that shade of red, or that sticky looking.”

Harry chuckled and bowed his head momentarily. As he raised it again, he met Malfoy’s eyes and instinctively chewed on his bottom lip. “Okay I admit, I just really wanted to talk to you.”

Malfoy blinked. “I don’t have time for these games Potter.” He turned and left the room hastily before Harry was able to change his mind.

****

When Draco left Harry for what was now the second time, he convinced himself that he had officially shattered anything that could have happened between the two of them and that would be the end of that.

But Draco was wrong.

For the next week, Harry came into the hospital every single day suffering with a new ailment; each one more ridiculous than the next. Monday had been the ketchup instant. On Tuesday Harry had a splinter in his thumb. On Wednesday, Harry had six extra toes. On Thursday, Harry’s head had turned into an animated pumpkin. So, by Friday, Draco was growing fond of Harry’s antics. Every day at 2pm Liam Jefferson reported to Draco that he was needed in a _conveniently_ empty room to treat a patient that conveniently ‘ _would rather not give their name.’_ On Friday however, Harry had changed his approach.

Harry sat formally in his chair and waited for his healer to arrive. As if right on cue, Draco had entered the room and searched for immediate clues for what Harry had done to himself this time. Harry watched as Malfoy raised his eyebrow in amusement and folded his arms across his chest. “No vegetable heads today then Potter?”

Harry shook his head. “No not today.”

Draco’s amusement travelled down to his lips. Harry couldn’t help but stare as Draco wetted his lips before he smirked. “No splinters? No condiments used as a theatrical trick?”

Harry shook his head once more and stood up to his feet. “No, none of that today.”

Draco scoffed playfully and rolled his eyes. “Then what’s wrong with you?”

“You broke my heart Draco.”

Malfoy immediately recoiled and Harry watched as the shutters closed behind Malfoy’s eyes.

_Cold and analytical. He’s hiding what he doesn’t want me to see._

Harry began to close the distance between the two of them and despite Malfoy haughtily raising his chin, he didn’t make an effort to move away.

“What happened at my house was... Weird and it was messy. I was intense and emotional, and I shouldn’t have put you in a position that would make you overstep a boundary with a patient.”

Draco blinked. He adjusted his position and slowly unfolded his arms from his chest, visibly relaxing. “I told you I don’t want to play any games-“

“I’m not playing a game.”

“Then why are you here?” The question rung in the air as the two men stared at one another. Harry took in Draco’s weary expression. Truth be told, the poor man looked exhausted. His eyes were glassy and dark circles flooded the pale skin beneath his eyes. This shouldn’t have looked attractive to Harry, but the blonde git still looked gorgeous.

“I want you to go to dinner with me.”

Draco’s eyes widened and his silver irises burned into Harry like a set of headlights. “Dinner.” Draco said slowly. “You did all of this... To ask me out for dinner.”

Harry let out a soft laugh. “It was either this or have Ginny shove a broom up my arse.”

Draco sent a bewildered look at Harry, which simply made Harry laugh harder and wave his hand dismissively. “Don’t ask.”

Draco continued to stare for several moments until Harry’s soft chuckles subsided. “Okay fine.” Draco nodded slowly and casted a quick tempus incantation. “It’s 2:47pm right now, I should finish tonight at 7, so come to the Manor for 8.”

If someone could bottle the uncontrollable joy that appeared across Harry’s face, they would be a millionaire.

“8 o’clock. Got it.”

“If you’re late I’ll file a restraining order.”

Before Draco abruptly left the room in his usual style, Harry could have sworn he was smiling too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tadaaa!! Finally a happy chapter ahaha
> 
> I'm sorry for the uploading delay, the past month has been so hectic, thank you for all your patience with me!
> 
> This story is far from over, and I PROMISE to have the next chapter out over the course of the next week or so, so make sure you bookmark this to be notified ;)
> 
> Please let me know what you think in the comments, your feedback and support so far have been amazing; I'm so so grateful to you all <3  
> I'm very excited for the next few chapters (prepare yourselves ;) )
> 
> Follow my tumblr @Sleepdeprivedravenclaw


	11. Chapter 11

The time was 7:54pm, and Harry was stood at the gates of Malfoy Manner. The cold autumnal breeze blew a soft kiss against the exposed skin of Harry’s neck, sending a long shiver to spread down his spine. His hands felt clammy against the silk lining inside of his coat pockets.

Every thought and feeling Harry had experienced over the past couple of weeks had led to this night. For the opportunity for Harry to prove himself to Draco that he was worth something. That he was worth Draco’s time.

_Sweet Merlin._

Harry felt the pounding of his heart in the base of his throat.

The time was 7:55pm, and Harry was stood at the gates of Malfoy Manner.

Harry had practically skipped home from the hospital earlier that day. He must have looked like an idiot to the bystanders, who watched a grown man grin ear to ear as he made his way through the bustling London streets towards Grimmauld Place.

_“I should finish tonight at 7, so come to the Manor for 8.”_

To make Harry wait until 8pm felt like asking him to wait an eternity. But hell, if that’s what the handsome pointy git asked for, Harry would have done it.

Truth be told, Harry couldn’t sit still all afternoon. He had practically raced up the stairs into his bedroom and immediately began raiding his closet. Harry had theatrically plucked shirts, t-shirts and trousers from their hangers and from their drawers, throwing them back over his shoulder if he deemed them unsuitable. _They were all unsuitable._ It wasn’t long until Harry had a light perspiration across his forehead, feeling his stomach sinking in a panic.

_All of these clothes and nothing to fucking wear._

“Master has made too much mess. Too much mess indeed.”

The voice from the unannounced presence had startled Harry. It caused him to turn around in a panic, drawing his wand from his back pocket. He immediately lowered his wand and sighed towards the floor. “Not now Kreacher, I promise I’ll pick everything up before I leave tonight.”

Whether Kreacher had heard Harry or had selectively ignored him was debatable. Kreacher continued to move slowly, eyeing up the balled-up clothes that were randomly strewn across the room. “Yes yes... All too much, all too much... Nowhere to put the parcel...”

Harry lifted his gaze to stare at the disgruntled house elf. “Parcel? What parcel Kreacher?”

Kreacher glared up at Harry. His smile was menacing, the top set of yellowed teeth were visible in the corners of his tight mouth. “No space for the parcel, no parcel to give to Master...”

Harry had glared stubbornly back at the house elf, who once again was examining the mess. Harry waved his wand, muttering quick efficient cleaning charms that sent the clothes flying back into their original places. The clutter of noise as the drawers and wardrobe doors closed themselves once they were full again echoed within the spacious room. Once everything was returned to its space, Harry returned his wand once again to his back pocket and crossed his arms across his chest.

“Enough space for the parcel _now_ Kreacher?”

A low, slow cackle left the house elf as he clicked his fingers. A small, seemingly light, parcel bobbed over Kreachers’ left shoulder until it settled onto the grey fluffy blanket draped across the foot of Harry’s bed. “Parcel for you Master, yes. There is a note... A note...”

Harry’s eyebrows furrowed in light confusion. He walked towards the parcel. The wrapping paper was black and was tied together with silver lace. A folded green card was tucked within the binding of the string at the top of the parcel. Harry plucked the folded piece of card out and brought it closer to his face to read. A subtle smell wafted in the air as he did so.

He knew the smell of that aftershave.

He unfolded the card and began to read. The note was short:

_Don’t fuck this up Potter._

  * _BZ_



Harry rolled his eyes and bit the inside of his cheek.

_Blaise Zabini. Prat._

Harry delicately began to undo the lace and opened the wrapping paper. Inside was a dark green button-down shirt made of what appeared to be soft cotton and silk; looking illuminous as it caught the light. The price tag was removed, but Harry knew this was expensive. He hastily removed his t-shirt and tried on the gift.

_Fuck me this is soft._

The button-up shirt fit him like a dream, hugging him in all the correct places. Harry once had again grinned ear to ear. He felt the instant relief flood his insides, extinguishing the stress that previously resided within him.

“Kreacher, send a thank you note to Mr. Zabini, and a new bottle of that poncy aftershave he loves so much.”

“What words to be in the note Master?”

_“Thanks for saving my arse. Yours Gratefully, HP.”_

\--

A bird squawked from a tree overhead of Harry, startling him back into the present. A panicked tempus charm was cast.

The time was 7:57pm and Harry was stood at the gates of Malfoy Manner. He began to walk up the path towards the looming house, which was painted a soft eggshell white these days; it was a lot more welcoming than it once was.

The butterflies in Harry’s stomach caused his insides to churn violently. He had tried his best tonight to look perfect for Draco. His long, usually unruly hair was tied back into a (mostly) neat knot at the top of his head, with shorter, soft curls loose at the front to frame his face. Harry had partnered his gifted emerald shirt with black, tight fitting trousers and dark brown loafers. He wore a small, gold hoop earring in his right earlobe, subtly visible behind his curly black tendrils. The coat he wore was a long black winter coat, lined on the inside with black silk – a gift from Hermione when he completed his Auror course.

_“You need to look good outside of work too, Harry.” She had said._

The time was now 7:59pm, and Harry was stood at the door of Malfoy Manner. He swallowed the hard lump that was forming in his dry throat before ringing the doorbell. Harry could have had 10 years to prepare himself for what would welcome him on the other side of the door, but that still wouldn’t have been enough time.

_Oh mercy of the gods._

Draco’s platinum hair was styled fashionably. The sides and underneath were short, and the perfectly tussled hair on the top that waved softly across his forehead. He wore a sky-blue silk button up shirt, with the top 2 buttons undone to expose the beautiful alabaster skin of his neck and collarbone. Harry drank in the sight of Draco wearing coal grey trousers, that were deliciously fitted to his slender frame before his eyes rested on his black, dragonhide loafers.

Draco looked breathtakingly expensive.

Draco reached across to grab a coat from a stand that was out of sight from Harry as he stood on the doorstep.

“Draco... You look-“

“Excuse the state of me please Potter, my shift dragged on longer today than I care to admit.” Draco shrugged on the expensive, light grey winter coat. He fixed his collar before he met Harry’s gaze. “Shut your mouth Potter you’ll swallow a fly.”

Harry shook his head and cleared his throat. He ignored how Draco’s presence sent sharp, tantalising jolts towards his groin. “You told me not to be late and here you are keeping me on your doorstep with your non-stop talking.” Harry smirked playfully and gestured a bent arm towards Draco for him to hold. “Ready to go?”

Draco raised an eyebrow at Harry’s sudden change in demeanour. Harry deduced from the upturned corners of his mouth, that Draco must be pleased. Draco took Harry’s arm, wrapping his hand around it, following Harry’s lead down the steps. If Harry didn’t know any better, he would have thought Draco’s tight grip, and the subtle movements of his hand meant that Draco was trying to feel Harry’s muscles under his clothes. If Harry’s gaze wasn’t tunnelled on the steps before him, so determined not to trip in front of Malfoy, perhaps Harry would have noticed that Draco was staring at Harry from the corner of his eye. His gaze was fixated, making his slow way down Harry’s body- starting from the hair, to the earring, to his lips, to the shirt...

When Harry turned his head to look at Malfoy as they made it down the final step, he couldn’t help but feel a little puzzled. “Draco, are you cold? Your cheeks look a little warm...”

The rosy tint darkened across Draco’s high cheekbones and the bridge of his nose. Draco’s stormy gaze looked everywhere but Harry’s eyes as he mumbled his response. “It’s autumn. Autumn’s cold. Apparate already. Please.”

The clipped tone of Draco’s tone brought a soft smile to Harry’s lips. Harry pulled Draco in a little tighter towards him _(purely to increase the chances of a safe apparition of course)_ and apparated them both away as the autumn breeze grew stronger.

The time was now 8:03pm, and Harry Potter was on a date with Draco Malfoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooo how exciting!! I'm so sorry for making you wait so long, I'm in my final year at university and deadlines have been kicking my arse XD
> 
> I'll update again before the end of christmas break, so make sure you leave some comments and bookmark this story before then to have your say, and to make sure you see the update ;)
> 
> Thank you all for being so patient and for loving this story so much. It truly is a pleasure to write, and to know you guys love it make it all the much better <3
> 
> Follow my tumblr @SleepDeprivedRavenclaw


End file.
